Compare towns
Appleton vs Greene vs Wales
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%).
Greene has the highest household income ($98k).
Wales has the most people working from home (22.2%).
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 | Greene | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
4,417Highest |
1,924 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
-0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
39.7±4.9 11% below ME |
35.1±4.2Lowest 22% below ME |
| Appleton and Greene 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% |
23.3%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
30.2%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Wales and Greene 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% |
15.1%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
11%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Greene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.2% ME: 36.2% |
15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±3.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Greene and Wales 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 |
$98,093±$16kHighest 31% above ME |
$77,004±$5k 3% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$270,000±$23kHighest 9% below ME |
$250,400±$28k 16% below ME |
| Greene and Wales 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 |
$1,194±$224Highest 5% above ME |
$1,154±$64 about the ME average |
| Greene and Wales 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 |
$2,965 about the ME average |
$2,578Lowest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
54.8%±20.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
83.3%±37.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
25.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.8% ME: 74.3% |
91.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
26 minLowest 4% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±13.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wales and Greene 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 | — | #69 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 52/MSAD 52 | RSU 04 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Oak Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 5 photos → | 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.