Compare towns
Appleton vs Brooks vs Waldoboro vs Strong
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%).
Brooks has the most renters (25.4% rent).
Waldoboro has the highest household income ($69k).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Brooks | Waldoboro | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,208Lowest |
5,253Highest |
1,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
+1.6% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
45.9±6.6Lowest about the ME average |
50.1±4.6Highest 12% above ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
| Waldoboro and Appleton 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% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Strong and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Waldoboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
29.9% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks 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±$19k 28% below ME |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
$69,107±$8kHighest 8% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
| Waldoboro and Brooks 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 |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$274,900±$39kHighest 7% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
| Waldoboro and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
$348±$153Lowest 69% below ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
| Brooks and Appleton 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 |
$2,096 31% below ME |
$2,861 6% below ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20%±15.8 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Strong 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% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
25 min 3% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Brooks 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 | — | — | #55 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Medomak Valley High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.5 |
— |
| 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.