Compare towns
Appleton vs Castle Hill vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castle Hill has the most affordable homes ($145k median).
Gray has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Castle Hill | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
281Lowest |
8,429Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | +6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Castle Hill and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±5.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Appleton 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% |
44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray 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 |
$54,250±$14k 27% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$950±$574Lowest 17% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
75%±100 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Castle Hill 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% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Gray and Appleton 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 | — | — | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.5 |
| 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.