Compare towns
Appleton vs Blue Hill vs Lamoine
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).
Blue Hill has the most expensive homes ($400k median).
Lamoine has the highest household income ($89k).
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 | Blue Hill | Lamoine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
2,813Highest |
1,782 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
48.6±8.2Lowest 8% above ME |
49.6±7.3Highest 11% above ME |
| Lamoine 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% |
18.3%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Blue Hill and Appleton 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% |
29.6%±10.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.5%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Blue Hill 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Blue Hill 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 |
$80,377±$17k 8% above ME |
$88,542±$15kHighest 18% above ME |
| Lamoine and Blue Hill 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 |
$399,500±$82kHighest 35% above ME |
$324,800±$43k 10% above ME |
| Blue Hill and Lamoine 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 |
$1,038±$638Lowest 9% below ME |
$1,174±$158Highest 3% above ME |
| Lamoine and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,907 4% below ME |
$2,303Lowest 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
93.6%±27.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
23.3%±16.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Blue Hill and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.7% ME: 74.3% |
78.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
22 min 11% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21%±9.5 ME: 15.9% |
21.4%±5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Lamoine and Blue Hill 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 | — | #29 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Blue Hill Public Schools | Lamoine Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.