Compare towns
Appleton vs Castle Hill 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 the most expensive homes ($236k median).
Castle Hill has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Castle Hill | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Highest |
281Lowest |
1,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above 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% |
19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Strong 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% |
22%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest 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±$19k 28% below ME |
$54,250±$14kHighest 27% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
| Castle Hill and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
| Appleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$950±$574 17% below ME |
$920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
| Appleton and Castle Hill 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 |
$1,950 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
75%±100 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.