Compare towns
Appleton vs Morrill vs Waldo vs Orland
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 renters (17.4% rent).
Morrill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Orland has the most expensive homes ($277k median).
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 | Morrill | Waldo | Orland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
914Lowest |
926 |
1,915Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
39.8±6.1 11% below ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
50.6±4.2Highest 13% above ME |
| Orland 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% |
22.8%±4.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Morrill and Waldo 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% |
18.5%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Orland 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% ME: 36.2% |
31.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Orland 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±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$74,250±$18kHighest about the ME average |
$71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
$69,348±$29k 7% below ME |
| Morrill and Waldo 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 |
$214,000±$18k 28% below ME |
$208,000±$41kLowest 30% below ME |
$277,100±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
| Orland 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 |
$975±$891Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,150±$691Highest about the ME average |
$1,149±$177 about the ME average |
| Waldo and Orland 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 |
$2,472 19% below ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,089 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
34.3%±45.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3 ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Waldo 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% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
40 minHighest 62% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
5.9%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
17%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Orland and Waldo 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 | Waldo-Region 7 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.