Compare towns
Appleton vs Newburgh vs Rumford
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%).
Newburgh has the highest household income ($77k).
Rumford has the most affordable homes ($128k 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 | Newburgh | Rumford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,475 |
5,942Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+0.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
45.8±5.7Lowest about the ME average |
50.4±3.4Highest 13% above ME |
| Rumford 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% |
18.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Newburgh and Rumford 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% |
21.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.2%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Rumford 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% |
29.9% ME: 36.2% |
18.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Newburgh 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 |
$76,750±$10kHighest about the ME average |
$38,403±$6kLowest 49% below ME |
| Newburgh 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 21% below ME |
$244,600±$20kHighest 18% below ME |
$127,700±$21kLowest 57% below ME |
| Newburgh and Appleton 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 |
$950±$219 17% below ME |
$803±$81Lowest 29% below ME |
| Appleton and Newburgh 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 |
$2,748 9% below ME |
$1,988Lowest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
59.1%±11.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Rumford 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% |
11.7% ME: 10.7% |
22.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.2% ME: 74.3% |
63.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1947Lowest 30 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Rumford 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 | — | — | #126 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Mountain Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
| 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.