Compare towns
Appleton vs Crystal vs Sherman
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 expensive homes ($236k median).
Crystal has the oldest population (median age 63.2).
Sherman has the most people working from home (28.2%).
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 | Crystal | Sherman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Highest |
247Lowest |
947 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
63.2±8.4Highest 41% above ME |
33.4±8.6Lowest 25% below ME |
| Crystal 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% |
16.2%±11.8 ME: 18.1% |
33.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.2%±5.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.9% ME: 36.2% |
13.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±0.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kHighest 28% below ME |
$48,125±$13kLowest 36% below ME |
$49,444±$7k 34% below ME |
| Appleton and Sherman 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 |
$115,200±$14kLowest 61% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,563±$922Highest 37% above ME |
$672±$329Lowest 41% below 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 |
$943Lowest 69% below ME |
$1,328 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
14.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.7%±77.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Sherman 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% ME: 10.7% |
37.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
22 minLowest 11% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
28.2%±12.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| 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.