Compare towns
Appleton vs Deer Isle vs Orland
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).
Deer Isle has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Orland has the highest household income ($69k).
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 | Deer Isle | Orland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
2,470Highest |
1,915 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
52.6±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
50.6±4.2 13% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Appleton and Orland 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% |
24.8%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Orland and Appleton 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% |
35.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Orland 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 |
$62,284±$15k 17% below ME |
$69,348±$29kHighest 7% below ME |
| Orland and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$308,300±$42kHighest 4% above ME |
$277,100±$20k 7% below ME |
| Deer Isle and Orland 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 |
$1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
$1,149±$177 about the ME average |
| Deer Isle and Orland 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 |
$1,890Lowest 38% below ME |
$2,089 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 17% below ME |
40 minHighest 62% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
17%±11.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Deer Isle and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0 |
— |
| 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.