Compare towns
Appleton vs Millinocket 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Millinocket has the most affordable homes ($104k median).
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 | Millinocket | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
4,115Highest |
1,249Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
54.2±6.2Highest 21% above ME |
47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
| Millinocket 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% |
16.1%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Strong and Millinocket 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% |
22%±4.1Lowest 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% |
26.5% 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±$19kHighest 28% below ME |
$51,007±$9k 32% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
| Appleton and Millinocket 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 |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
| Appleton and Strong 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 |
$920±$276 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 |
$1,580Lowest 48% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.5%±11Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Strong 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1956Lowest 21 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.1Lowest 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 | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #98 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Millinocket Public Schools | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| 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.