Compare towns
Appleton vs Mexico vs Roxbury
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 most expensive homes ($236k median).
Mexico has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
Roxbury has the oldest population (median age 59.8).
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 | Mexico | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
2,782Highest |
352Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
43.4±2.8Lowest 3% below ME |
59.8±3.4Highest 33% above ME |
| Roxbury and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
6%±6.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mexico 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% |
20.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±10.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Roxbury 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% |
13%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
15.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±3.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mexico 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±$19k 28% below ME |
$55,727±$9kHighest 25% below ME |
$51,667±$34kLowest 31% below ME |
| Mexico 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±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$110,800±$10k 63% below ME |
$105,800±$48kLowest 64% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$1,027±$275Lowest 10% below ME |
— |
| Appleton and Mexico 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 |
$1,961 35% below ME |
$850Lowest 72% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
62.8%±17.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
— |
| Appleton and Mexico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
77%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
29 min 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
5.2%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Mexico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #130 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Rumford-Region 9 · RSU 10 | — |
| 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.