Compare towns
Appleton vs Mars Hill vs Milo 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%).
Mars Hill has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Milo has the most affordable homes ($97k median).
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 | Mars Hill | Milo | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,398 |
2,165Highest |
1,154Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9% ME: +2.6% |
-3.8% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
43.9±7 about the ME average |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Penobscot and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Penobscot 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% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±2.6Lowest 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% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
21.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mars Hill 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 |
$65,273±$9kHighest 13% below ME |
$56,875±$9k 24% below ME |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
| Mars Hill 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 |
$163,600±$23k 45% below ME |
$97,100±$27kLowest 67% 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±$82 3% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$879±$400 23% 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 |
$1,843 39% below ME |
$1,450Lowest 52% below ME |
$1,852 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Penobscot 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% |
9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
16% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
70.6% ME: 74.3% |
67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
42 minHighest 70% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
3.2%±2.1Lowest 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 42/MSAD 42 | RSU 41/MSAD 41 | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | Penquis Valley Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0Lowest |
12.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.