Compare towns
Appleton vs Mercer vs Morrill
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 oldest population (median age 49.2).
Mercer has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Morrill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
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 | Mercer | Morrill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Highest |
718Lowest |
914 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
39.8±6.1Lowest 11% below ME |
| Appleton and Mercer 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% |
20.1%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
22.8%±4.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Morrill and Mercer 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% |
25.9%±5.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Mercer 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% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Morrill 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 |
$71,107±$2k 5% below ME |
$74,250±$18kHighest about the ME average |
| Morrill and Mercer 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 |
$238,500±$32kHighest 20% below ME |
$214,000±$18kLowest 28% below ME |
| Mercer 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 |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
$975±$891Lowest 14% below ME |
| Mercer 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 |
$1,970Lowest 35% below ME |
$2,472 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
34.3%±45.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Morrill 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% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987Lowest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 minLowest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.9%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mercer 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 71 |
| 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.