Compare towns
Appleton vs Cornish vs Somerville vs Searsmont
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).
Cornish has the most renters (17.9% rent).
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Searsmont has the most people working from home (16.3%).
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 | Cornish | Somerville | Searsmont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,803Highest |
837Lowest |
1,646 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
44.5±9.8 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Searsmont 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% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Searsmont 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% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
31.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont 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 |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$87,000±$20kHighest 16% above ME |
| Searsmont and Somerville 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 |
$274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
$218,100±$41kLowest 26% below ME |
$284,000±$31kHighest 4% below ME |
| Searsmont and Cornish 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 |
$1,196±$148 5% above ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$940±$311Lowest 17% below ME |
| Somerville and Cornish 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 |
$2,309Lowest 24% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
$2,788 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5 ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Somerville 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% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
90.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Searsmont 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 12 | RSU 71 |
| 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 | 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.