Compare towns
Appleton vs Bath vs Brunswick vs Penobscot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Bath has the most renters (35.7% rent).
Brunswick has the most expensive homes ($376k median).
Penobscot has the oldest population (median age 53.4).
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 | Bath | Brunswick | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
8,815 |
22,336Highest |
1,154Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
+7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
45.4±3 about the ME average |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Penobscot and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
18%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Penobscot and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
42.5% ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$74,952±$6kHighest about the ME average |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
| Brunswick and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$376,300±$15kHighest 27% above ME |
$296,400±$58k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$1,141±$33 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8 ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% ME: 10.7% |
12.4% ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
71.2% ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #31 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Morse High School | Brunswick High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8Highest |
10.9Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.