Compare towns
Appleton vs Mount Holly vs Strong
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most renters (17.4% rent).
Mount Holly has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
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 | Mount Holly | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,415Highest |
1,249Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 26% above U.S. |
53.5±8.2Highest 38% above U.S. |
47.5±8.9Lowest 22% above U.S. |
| Mount Holly 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 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Mount Holly and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
28%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mount Holly 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Appleton and Strong 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 34% below U.S. |
$78,015±$19kHighest 3% below U.S. |
$47,557±$10kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Mount Holly 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±$33k 29% below U.S. |
$296,900±$40kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$183,900±$29kLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Mount Holly 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 22% below U.S. |
$1,534±$1kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$920±$276Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Mount Holly and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 15% above U.S. |
$3,926Highest 26% above U.S. |
$1,950Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
65.9%±65.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Mount Holly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±9.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Strong and Mount Holly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Ludlow Mt. Holly Unified Union School District #83 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| 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 |
U.S. 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.