Compare towns
Appleton vs Eliot vs Strong vs Liberty
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
Strong has the most affordable homes ($184k median).
Liberty has the youngest population (median age 40.5).
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 | Strong | Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
7,146Highest |
1,249 |
969Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
40.5±6.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Eliot and Appleton 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% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Strong and Liberty 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%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±2.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Eliot 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% |
43.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$71,146±$15k 5% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$229,600±$31k 23% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$2,434 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.5%±42.4 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% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
14.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.4%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Eliot 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| 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.