Compare towns
Appleton vs Boothbay vs Camden
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).
Boothbay has the shortest commute (13 min average).
Camden has the most people working from home (21.3%).
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 | Boothbay | Camden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
3,102 |
5,242Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
56.8±3.9Highest 27% above ME |
52.2±6.5 17% above ME |
| Boothbay and Camden 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% |
11.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Camden and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
35.4%±7.8 ME: 22.4% |
38%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Camden and Boothbay 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% |
51.9% ME: 36.2% |
62.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay 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 |
$60,320±$17k 19% below ME |
$82,344±$15kHighest 10% above ME |
| Camden and Boothbay 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 |
$342,100±$43k 15% above ME |
$520,600±$70kHighest 76% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,147±$121 about the ME average |
$1,269±$354Highest 11% above ME |
| Camden and Boothbay 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 |
$2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
$5,832Highest 92% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.4%±31Lowest ME: 48.4% |
39.9%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Camden 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% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.4% ME: 74.3% |
73.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
22 min 11% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±8.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Camden 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 | — | — | #11 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 28/MSAD 28 |
| 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.