Compare towns
Appleton vs Dedham vs Sidney
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 affordable homes ($236k median).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Dedham | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,656 |
4,790Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
| Appleton and Dedham 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% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Sidney 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% |
18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Dedham 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% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Dedham 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 |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
| Dedham and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
| Dedham and Sidney 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 |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Sidney 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% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sidney and Appleton 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 | — | — | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 18 |
| 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 |
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.