Compare towns
Appleton vs Newburgh vs Wells
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 affordable homes ($236k median).
Newburgh has the youngest population (median age 45.8).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,475 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
45.8±5.7Lowest about the ME average |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
| Wells 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%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Newburgh and Wells 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% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wells 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% |
29.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Newburgh 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 |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
| Wells and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$244,600±$20k 18% below ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$950±$219Lowest 17% below ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
| Wells and Appleton 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 |
$2,748Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Newburgh 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% |
11.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 minLowest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wells 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 | — | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Wells 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.