Compare towns
Appleton vs Newcastle vs Trenton
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).
Newcastle has the most people working from home (20.2%).
Trenton has the most kids (20.1% under 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 | Newcastle | Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,913Highest |
1,599 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
49.4±7Highest 10% above ME |
43.5±7.7Lowest about the ME average |
| Newcastle 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% |
17.8%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Trenton and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.5%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Trenton and Newcastle 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 |
$89,868±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$60,455±$13k 19% below ME |
| Newcastle and Trenton 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 |
$398,000±$41kHighest 34% above ME |
$357,400±$36k 20% above ME |
| Newcastle and Trenton 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 |
$1,363±$81Highest 20% above ME |
$1,102±$241Lowest 3% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$4,256Highest 40% above ME |
$2,310Lowest 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
5.8%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±20.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Trenton 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
17 minLowest 30% below ME |
29 min 17% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Newcastle and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | Trenton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.