Compare towns
Appleton vs Bowdoin vs Ogunquit vs Liberty
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 renters (17.4% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Liberty has the youngest population (median age 40.5).
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 | Ogunquit | Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
3,188Highest |
1,379 |
969Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
40.5±6.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Liberty and Bowdoin 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% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±2.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit 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% |
30.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ogunquit 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 |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$71,146±$15k 5% below ME |
| Ogunquit 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±$33k 21% below ME |
$292,800±$71k about the ME average |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$229,600±$31kLowest 23% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
— | — | $559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,434Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Liberty 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% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.4%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #28 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| 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 | 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.