Compare towns
Appleton vs Brownfield vs Cornish
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 oldest population (median age 49.2).
Brownfield has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Cornish has the highest household income ($69k).
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 | Brownfield | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,830Highest |
1,803 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
39.9±6.8 11% below ME |
39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
| Appleton and Brownfield 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% |
26.7%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Brownfield and Cornish 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% |
18.5%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Brownfield 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% |
25.3% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Cornish 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 |
$60,889±$5k 19% below ME |
$69,038±$4kHighest 8% below ME |
| Cornish and Brownfield 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 |
$287,500±$36kHighest 3% below ME |
$274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
| Brownfield and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,617±$554Highest 42% above ME |
$1,196±$148 5% above ME |
| Brownfield and Cornish 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 |
$2,976 about the ME average |
$2,309Lowest 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
61.8%±43.7 ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Brownfield 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% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 23% above ME |
44 minHighest 80% above ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 72/MSAD 72 | — |
| 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.