Compare towns
Appleton vs Newburgh vs Wiscasset
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 most kids (18.8% under 18).
Wiscasset has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Wiscasset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,475 |
3,874Highest |
| 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±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
45.8±5.7Lowest about the ME average |
48.8±6.3 9% above ME |
| Appleton and Wiscasset 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% |
18.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.8%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Newburgh and Appleton 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% |
28%±6.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wiscasset 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% |
36.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.8Lowest 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±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$76,750±$10kHighest about the ME average |
$71,118±$37k 5% below ME |
| Newburgh and Wiscasset 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 |
$325,200±$26kHighest 10% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$950±$219Lowest 17% below ME |
$1,518±$485Highest 33% above ME |
| Wiscasset 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 |
$3,550 17% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
23.6%±15.4Lowest 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% |
5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.4%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wiscasset 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 | — | — | #108 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | Wiscasset Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Wiscasset Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.2 |
| 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.