Compare towns
Appleton vs Lake Arrowhead vs Cornish
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 people working from home (11.1%).
Lake Arrowhead has the most kids (26.9% under 18).
Cornish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
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 | Lake Arrowhead | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
3,322Highest |
1,803 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
33±2.4Lowest 26% below ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
| Appleton and Cornish 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% |
26.9%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Lake Arrowhead and Cornish 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% |
7.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Cornish 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% |
26.9% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Lake Arrowhead 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 |
$98,654±$9kHighest 32% above ME |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$267,300±$19k 10% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
| Cornish and Lake Arrowhead 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 |
$2,288±$327Highest 101% above ME |
$1,196±$148 5% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,286Lowest 25% below ME |
$2,309 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±36.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Cornish 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% |
2.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
93.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 23% above ME |
39 minHighest 57% above ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | — |
| High school 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.