Compare towns

Appleton vs Crystal vs Roxbury

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 people working from home (11.1%).
Crystal has the most kids (16.2% under 18).
Roxbury has the most affordable homes ($106k median).

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.

MeasureAppletonCrystalRoxbury
People
Population
1,360Highest
247Lowest
352
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+7.2%
ME: +2.6%
— —
Median age
49.2±7.4Lowest
10% above ME
63.2±8.4Highest
41% above ME
59.8±3.4
33% above ME
Crystal and Roxbury 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%
16.2%±11.8Highest
ME: 18.1%
6%±6.7Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Crystal 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%
49%±5.3Highest
ME: 22.4%
25.6%±10.8Lowest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
34.1%Highest
ME: 36.2%
22.9%
ME: 36.2%
15.5%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.7%±2.4Highest
ME: 5.8%
0%±6.3Lowest
ME: 5.8%
0.6%±3.2
ME: 5.8%
Appleton and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$53,618±$19kHighest
28% below ME
$48,125±$13kLowest
36% below ME
$51,667±$34k
31% below ME
Appleton and Roxbury 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
$129,200±$60k
56% below ME
$105,800±$48kLowest
64% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,104±$82Lowest
3% below ME
$1,563±$922Highest
37% above ME
—
Crystal and Appleton 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
$943
69% below ME
$850Lowest
72% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
85.4%±100Highest
ME: 48.4%
14.3%±100Lowest
ME: 48.4%
—
Appleton and Crystal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
9.7%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
14.7%Highest
ME: 10.7%
13.4%
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.6%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
92.8%
ME: 74.3%
94.5%Highest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1988Highest
11 yrs newer than ME
1974
3 yrs older than ME
1969Lowest
8 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 minHighest
23% above ME
27 minLowest
10% above ME
29 min
16% above ME
Work from home
11.1%±3.5Highest
ME: 15.9%
0%±15.1Lowest
ME: 15.9%
5.2%±5.7
ME: 15.9%
Appleton and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district Appleton Public Schools — —
High school 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.