Compare towns
Appleton vs Bath vs Strong vs Searsmont
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).
Strong has the most kids (19.5% under 18).
Searsmont has the highest household income ($87k).
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 | Strong | Searsmont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
8,815Highest |
1,249Lowest |
1,646 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
45.4±3 about the ME average |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
44.5±9.8Lowest about the ME average |
| Appleton and Strong 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% |
19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Strong and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Bath 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
31.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont 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±$19k 28% below ME |
$69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$87,000±$20kHighest 16% above ME |
| Searsmont 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±$33k 21% below ME |
$310,900±$30kHighest 5% above ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$284,000±$31k 4% below ME |
| Bath and Searsmont 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±$116 8% below ME |
$920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
$940±$311 17% below ME |
| Appleton and Bath 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 |
$3,847Highest 27% above ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$2,788 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3 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% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
90.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Strong 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 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 71 |
| High school in town | None in town | Morse High School | None in town | 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.