Compare towns
Appleton vs North Windham vs Standish
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).
North Windham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Standish has the highest household income ($105k).
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 | North Windham | Standish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
5,417 |
10,662Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
42±3 6% below ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Appleton and North Windham 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% |
16.6%±4.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
| North Windham and Standish 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% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and North Windham 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% |
37%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$88,522±$8k 18% above ME |
$104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
| Standish and North Windham 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 |
$342,800±$29kHighest 16% above ME |
$336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
| North Windham and Standish 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 |
$1,248±$604Highest 10% above ME |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
| North Windham 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 |
$3,546 17% above ME |
$3,005Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.7%±14.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
80.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| North Windham and Standish 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 | — | — | #18 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Bonny Eagle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.5 |
| 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.