Compare towns
Appleton vs Bowdoin vs Epping
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Bowdoin has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
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 | Bowdoin | Epping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
3,188 |
7,430Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 26% above U.S. |
44.3±10Lowest 14% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
| Appleton and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Bowdoin and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Appleton and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping 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 34% below U.S. |
$91,239±$13k 13% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Epping and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$292,800±$71k 12% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 22% below U.S. |
— | $1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Epping and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 15% above U.S. |
$3,375Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±42.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Lowest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 14% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Bowdoin 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 | — | #28 of 133 in ME | #77 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Epping School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Epping High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.