Compare towns
Appleton vs Gray vs Strong vs Windham
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 oldest population (median age 49.2).
Gray has the most renters (17.6% rent).
Strong has the most affordable homes ($184k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Gray | Strong | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
8,429 |
1,249Lowest |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
| Appleton and Strong 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% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Strong and Windham 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% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Strong 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% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Windham 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 |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
| Gray and Windham 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 |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Gray 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% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Strong 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| 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.