Compare towns
Appleton vs Bath vs Rockland
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 expensive homes ($311k median).
Rockland has the shortest commute (12 min average).
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 | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
8,815Highest |
7,035 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
-4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
49.3±6Highest 10% above ME |
| Rockland 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%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath 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±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$69,390±$12kHighest 7% below ME |
$56,533±$6k 24% below ME |
| Bath and Rockland 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±$30kHighest 5% above ME |
$245,800±$38k 17% below ME |
| Bath and Rockland 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 |
$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,092±$105 4% below ME |
| Appleton and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
$4,059Highest 34% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±15.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Rockland 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% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
64.3% ME: 74.3% |
62%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1948 29 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
12 minLowest 50% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Rockland 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 | #96 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | Morse High School | Oceanside High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.