Compare towns
Appleton vs Bremen vs Waldoboro
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%).
Bremen has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Waldoboro has the most renters (21.4% rent).
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 | Bremen | Waldoboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
917Lowest |
5,253Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
52.1±8.2Highest 16% above ME |
50.1±4.6 12% above ME |
| Bremen and Waldoboro 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% |
18.6%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Bremen and Waldoboro 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% |
34.1%±9.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±5.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bremen 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% |
54.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Bremen 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 |
$100,000±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$69,107±$8k 8% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$425,300±$28kHighest 43% above ME |
$274,900±$39k 7% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
— | $348±$153Lowest 69% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,829Lowest 7% below ME |
$2,861 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20%±15.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Waldoboro 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% |
9.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
22 minLowest 13% below ME |
25 min 3% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±6.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #55 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Medomak Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.5 |
| 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.