Compare towns
Appleton vs Crystal vs Topsfield
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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Topsfield has the most homeowners (95.1%).
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 | Topsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Highest |
247 |
214Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
63.2±8.4 41% above ME |
63.5±4.9Highest 42% above ME |
| Topsfield and Crystal 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% |
13.1%±10.4Lowest 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%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
44.9%±12.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Crystal and Topsfield 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% |
22.9% ME: 36.2% |
14.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±5.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Topsfield 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 |
$48,125±$16kLowest 36% below ME |
| Appleton and Crystal 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±$60kLowest 56% below ME |
$141,700±$32k 52% 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 |
$943Lowest 69% below ME |
$957 68% 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% |
13.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.8% ME: 74.3% |
95.1%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 min 23% above ME |
27 minLowest 10% above ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | East Range CSD |
| High school 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.