Compare towns
Appleton vs Bath vs Kittery 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).
Kittery has the most expensive homes ($469k median).
Penobscot has the most kids (18% under 18).
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 | Kittery | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
8,815 |
10,473Highest |
1,154Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
46.8±2.3 4% above 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%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Penobscot and Bath 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%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Kittery 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% |
46%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Kittery 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 |
$93,728±$14kHighest 25% above ME |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
| Kittery 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 |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
$296,400±$58k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$1,141±$33 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
67.2% 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 |
1965 12 yrs older 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 |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Kittery Public Schools | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Morse High School | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8Highest |
9.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.