Compare towns
Appleton vs Edgecomb vs Wiscasset
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%).
Edgecomb has the highest household income ($109k).
Wiscasset has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Edgecomb | Wiscasset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,251Lowest |
3,874Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41±8.8Lowest 8% below ME |
48.8±6.3 9% above ME |
| Appleton and Wiscasset 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% |
16.9%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.8%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Edgecomb and Appleton 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% |
24.5%±7.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
28%±6.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wiscasset 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
8%±6.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Edgecomb 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 |
$108,750±$18kHighest 46% above ME |
$71,118±$37k 5% below ME |
| Edgecomb and Wiscasset 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 |
$348,400±$36kHighest 17% above ME |
$325,200±$26k 10% above ME |
| Edgecomb and Wiscasset 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 |
— | $1,518±$485Highest 33% above ME |
| Wiscasset 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 |
$3,577 18% above ME |
$3,550Lowest 17% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±43.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
23.6%±15.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Wiscasset 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% |
5.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
22 minLowest 10% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
21.4%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wiscasset and Edgecomb 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 | — | — | #108 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Edgecomb Public Schools | Wiscasset Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Wiscasset Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.2 |
| 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.