Compare towns
Appleton vs Corinth vs Levant vs Penobscot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Corinth has the most affordable homes ($136k median).
Levant has the highest household income ($86k).
Penobscot has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Corinth | Levant | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
2,990 |
3,069Highest |
1,154Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.8% ME: +2.6% |
+3.1% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
42.7±6 5% below ME |
39.7±2.2Lowest 11% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Penobscot and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Corinth and Levant 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% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.6% ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Corinth 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 |
$64,229±$5k 14% below ME |
$86,071±$22kHighest 15% above ME |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
| Levant and Corinth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$135,800±$31kLowest 54% below ME |
$268,500±$27k 9% below ME |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Levant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$883±$157Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,370±$120Highest 20% above ME |
$1,141±$33 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,381Lowest 55% below ME |
$2,580 15% below ME |
$1,852 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±11.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.7%±14 ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Penobscot 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% |
11.4% ME: 10.7% |
9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.2% ME: 74.3% |
81.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
30 min 21% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot and Corinth 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 | — | #102 of 133 in ME | #124 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 64/MSAD 64 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Central High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.3 |
— | — |
| 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.