Compare towns
Appleton vs Camden vs Liberty
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Camden has the most expensive homes ($521k median).
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 | Camden | Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
5,242Highest |
969Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
52.2±6.5Highest 17% above ME |
40.5±6.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Camden 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% |
18.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Liberty and Camden 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% |
38%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±2.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Camden 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
62.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$82,344±$15kHighest 10% above ME |
$71,146±$15k 5% below ME |
| Camden and Liberty 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 |
$520,600±$70kHighest 76% above ME |
$229,600±$31kLowest 23% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,269±$354Highest 11% above ME |
$559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
| Camden and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$5,832Highest 92% above ME |
$2,434Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
39.9%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
38.5%±42.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Camden 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% |
9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
73.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
22 minLowest 11% below ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±8.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.4%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Camden and Liberty 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 | — | #11 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 28/MSAD 28 | 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 |
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.