Compare towns
Appleton vs Meddybemps vs Strong
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 highest household income ($54k).
Meddybemps has the oldest population (median age 63.9).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Meddybemps | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Highest |
139Lowest |
1,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
63.9±4.2Highest 43% above ME |
47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
5%±21.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Strong and Appleton 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% |
39.6%±15.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Meddybemps 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% |
14.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±10.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Meddybemps 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±$19kHighest 28% below ME |
$48,000±$13k 36% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
| Appleton and Meddybemps 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 |
$295,000±$73kHighest about the ME average |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
| Meddybemps 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 |
— | $920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
| Appleton and Strong 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 |
$1,206Lowest 60% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Meddybemps and Appleton 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% |
7.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 23% above ME |
31 minHighest 28% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
5.4%±7.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong 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 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school 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.