Compare towns
Appleton vs Castle Hill vs Sidney
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 most renters (17.4% rent).
Castle Hill has the most affordable homes ($145k median).
Sidney has the highest household income ($83k).
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 | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
281Lowest |
4,790Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
43±5.5Lowest 4% 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% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney 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% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Castle Hill 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 |
$83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$950±$574Lowest 17% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Sidney 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 |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
75%±100 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sidney 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 | — | — | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 18 |
| 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.