Compare towns
Appleton vs Livermore vs Penobscot
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%).
Livermore has the most homeowners (95.7%).
Penobscot has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Livermore | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,868Highest |
1,154Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.5% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
51.4±3.5 15% above ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Penobscot and Livermore 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% |
17%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
18%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Penobscot and Livermore 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% |
24.8%±3.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Livermore 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 |
$70,441±$10kHighest 6% below ME |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
| Livermore and Penobscot 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 |
$221,800±$23kLowest 25% below ME |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Appleton 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 |
— | $1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Appleton 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 |
$2,237 26% below ME |
$1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
75%±100 ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Livermore 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% |
8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
27 min 11% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.5%±7.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot 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 73 | Penobscot Public Schools |
| 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.