Compare towns
Appleton vs Castle Hill vs Windham 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 renters (17.4% rent).
Castle Hill has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Strong has the most kids (19.5% under 18).
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 | Windham | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
281Lowest |
19,188Highest |
1,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | +8.4%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 |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9 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% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Strong and Windham 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Windham 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±$19k 28% below ME |
$54,250±$14k 27% below ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$950±$574 17% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
| Windham 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 |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
75%±100 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 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% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%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% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 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 |
26 min 7% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Strong 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 | — | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 14 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.