Compare towns
Appleton vs Hallowell vs Manchester
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).
Hallowell has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Manchester has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Hallowell | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
2,592Highest |
2,424 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
50.3±7.9Highest 12% above ME |
46.9±4.6Lowest 5% above ME |
| Hallowell and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.2%±5.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Manchester 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% |
33.2%±7.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Hallowell 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% |
52.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
6.4%±6.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Hallowell 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 |
$68,398±$10k 8% below ME |
$92,031±$16kHighest 23% above ME |
| Manchester and Hallowell 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 |
$295,300±$45k about the ME average |
$299,600±$40kHighest about the ME average |
| Manchester and Hallowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$890±$175Lowest 22% below ME |
$993±$116 13% below ME |
| Appleton and Manchester 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 |
$3,867Highest 27% above ME |
$3,486Lowest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±17.9 ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Hallowell 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% |
7.8% ME: 10.7% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
58.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
14 minLowest 43% below ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±8.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Hallowell and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 02 | RSU 38 |
| 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 |
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.