Compare towns
Appleton vs Limestone 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%).
Limestone has the most affordable homes ($98k median).
Searsmont has the highest household income ($87k).
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 | Limestone | Searsmont |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,579 |
1,646Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
45.3±4.9 about the ME average |
44.5±9.8Lowest about the ME average |
| Appleton and Limestone 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% |
20.7%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Limestone 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% |
21.7%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Limestone 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% |
20.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
31.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9.5%±4.7 ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont and Limestone 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 |
$49,938±$8kLowest 33% below ME |
$87,000±$20kHighest 16% above ME |
| Searsmont and Appleton 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 |
$98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
$284,000±$31kHighest 4% below ME |
| Searsmont and Appleton 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 |
$754±$233Lowest 34% below ME |
$940±$311 17% below ME |
| Appleton and Searsmont 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 |
$1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
$2,788 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
32%±12.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Searsmont 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% |
16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Searsmont and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools | RSU 71 |
| High school in town | None in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
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| 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.