Compare towns
Appleton vs Bath vs Dedham vs Orland
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%).
Bath has the most renters (35.7% rent).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Orland has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Dedham | Orland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
8,815Highest |
1,656 |
1,915 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
50.6±4.2Highest 13% above ME |
| Orland and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Orland 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% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Orland and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$69,348±$29k 7% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$277,100±$20k 7% below ME |
| Dedham and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,149±$177 about the ME average |
| Dedham and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$2,089Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Bath 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
7.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
30 min 22% above ME |
40 minHighest 62% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17%±11.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Orland 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 | — | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Dedham Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Morse High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.