Compare towns
Appleton vs Eliot vs Ogunquit vs Searsmont
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).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Searsmont has the youngest population (median age 44.5).
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 | Eliot | Ogunquit | Searsmont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
7,146Highest |
1,379 |
1,646 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
44.5±9.8Lowest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Eliot 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% |
27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Eliot 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% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont and Ogunquit 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 |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$87,000±$20k 16% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Eliot 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 |
$498,900±$62k 68% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$284,000±$31k 4% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
— | $940±$311Lowest 17% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$2,788Lowest 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Eliot 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% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — | RSU 71 |
| 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 | 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.