Compare towns
Appleton vs Hiram 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Hiram has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Searsmont has the most people working from home (16.3%).
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 | Hiram | Searsmont |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,748Highest |
1,646 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.6±10.2Lowest 7% below ME |
44.5±9.8 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Searsmont 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% |
20.9%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hiram and Appleton 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% |
15.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Searsmont 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% |
25%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
31.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont 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 |
$62,813±$10k 16% below ME |
$87,000±$20kHighest 16% above ME |
| Searsmont and Hiram 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 |
$256,600±$42k 13% below ME |
$284,000±$31kHighest 4% below ME |
| Searsmont and Hiram 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 |
$1,070±$161 6% below ME |
$940±$311Lowest 17% below ME |
| Appleton and Hiram 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 |
$2,106Lowest 31% below ME |
$2,788 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24.1 ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Hiram 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% |
12.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.8% ME: 74.3% |
90.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
31 minHighest 28% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.6%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Searsmont and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 55/MSAD 55 | RSU 71 |
| High school in town | None in town | Sacopee Valley High Sch | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— |
| 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.