Compare towns
Appleton vs Blue Hill vs Newburgh
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%).
Blue Hill has the most people working from home (21%).
Newburgh has the youngest population (median age 45.8).
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 | Newburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
2,813Highest |
1,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
48.6±8.2 8% above ME |
45.8±5.7Lowest about the ME average |
| Appleton and Blue Hill 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% |
18.3%±7 ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Newburgh and Blue Hill 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% |
21.4%±2.4Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
38.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Blue Hill and Newburgh 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±$17kHighest 8% above ME |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
| Blue Hill and Newburgh 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 |
$244,600±$20k 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$1,038±$638 9% below ME |
$950±$219Lowest 17% below ME |
| Appleton and Blue Hill 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 |
$2,748Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
93.6%±27.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
4.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
21%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Blue Hill and Appleton 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 | — |
| High school 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.