Compare towns
Appleton vs Millinocket vs Norridgewock
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%).
Millinocket has the most affordable homes ($104k median).
Norridgewock has the most people working from home (22.3%).
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 | Millinocket | Norridgewock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
4,115Highest |
3,288 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
54.2±6.2Highest 21% above ME |
50.3±11 12% above ME |
| Millinocket and Norridgewock 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% |
16.1%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
10.5%±5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Millinocket 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% |
36.2%±8.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
25%±7.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Millinocket 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% |
18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Millinocket 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 |
$51,007±$9kLowest 32% below ME |
$61,579±$19kHighest 18% below ME |
| Norridgewock 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 |
$103,800±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$151,900±$52k 49% below ME |
| Appleton and Norridgewock 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 |
$451±$130Lowest 60% below ME |
$1,063±$588 7% below ME |
| Appleton and Norridgewock 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 |
$1,580 48% below ME |
$1,462Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.5%±11Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.4%±46.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Norridgewock 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% |
17.1% ME: 10.7% |
20.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1956Lowest 21 yrs older than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
22 minLowest 10% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.3%±13.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Norridgewock and Appleton 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 | — | #98 of 133 in ME | #91 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Millinocket Public Schools | RSU 54/MSAD 54 |
| High school in town | None in town | Stearns Jr-Sr High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— |
| 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.