Compare towns
Appleton vs Cushing vs Levant vs Warren
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%).
Cushing has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Levant has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
Warren has the shortest commute (23 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 | Cushing | Levant | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,460 |
3,069 |
4,932Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.1% ME: +2.6% |
+2.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
39.7±2.2Lowest 11% below ME |
42.2±2.2 6% below ME |
| Appleton and Cushing 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% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Levant and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
12%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.6% ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Warren 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 |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$86,071±$22kHighest 15% above ME |
$74,616±$21k about the ME average |
| Levant and Cushing 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 |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$268,500±$27k 9% below ME |
$232,700±$32kLowest 22% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,370±$120 20% above ME |
$1,125±$456 about the ME average |
| Cushing and Levant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$2,580Lowest 15% below ME |
$2,832 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.7%±14 ME: 48.4% |
52.1%±29.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
81.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Warren 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 | — | — | #124 of 133 in ME | #120 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 13 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None 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.

