Compare towns
Appleton vs Ashland vs Cherryfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($125k median).
Cherryfield has the most people working from home (18.2%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Appleton | Ashland | Cherryfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Highest |
1,080 |
809Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.7% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
53.4±9.1 19% above ME |
58.1±4.2Highest 30% above ME |
| Cherryfield and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.3%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
11.6%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Appleton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32.2%±8 ME: 22.4% |
32.4%±9.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Cherryfield and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ashland and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kHighest 28% below ME |
$46,838±$15k 37% below ME |
$37,115±$17kLowest 50% below ME |
| Appleton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$125,000±$49kLowest 58% below ME |
$195,800±$53k 34% below ME |
| Appleton and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
— | $428±$107Lowest 62% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,511Lowest 50% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
25.7%±27.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.6% ME: 10.7% |
26.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
4.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.2%±10.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Cherryfield and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | Cherryfield Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.