Compare towns
Appleton vs China vs Durham
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 oldest population (median age 49.2).
China has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
Durham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
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 | China | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
4,526Highest |
4,262 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
40.9±5.9Lowest 9% below ME |
42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
| Appleton and Durham 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% |
20.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| China and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
31.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Durham 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 |
$96,309±$12k 29% above ME |
$99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
| Durham and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$240,000±$37k 19% below ME |
$322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$2,535Lowest 17% below ME |
$3,781Highest 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Durham 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% |
6% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.8% ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 min 21% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±4.6 ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and China 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 | — | #27 of 133 in ME | #14 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 18 | RSU 05 |
| 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.