Compare towns
Appleton vs Orrington vs Searsmont
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%).
Orrington has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Searsmont has the most people working from home (16.3%).
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 | Orrington | Searsmont |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
3,853Highest |
1,646 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
49.5±3.3Highest 10% above ME |
44.5±9.8Lowest about the ME average |
| Orrington and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Orrington and Appleton 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% |
23.8%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Orrington 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% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont and Orrington 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 |
$94,556±$10kHighest 27% above ME |
$87,000±$20k 16% above ME |
| Orrington and Searsmont 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 |
$309,000±$49kHighest 4% above ME |
$284,000±$31k 4% below ME |
| Orrington and Searsmont 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 |
$1,167±$135Highest about the ME average |
$940±$311Lowest 17% below ME |
| Orrington 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 |
$2,823 7% below ME |
$2,788Lowest 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.9%±20.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Searsmont 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% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.5% ME: 74.3% |
90.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Searsmont and Orrington 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 | — | #41 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Orrington Public Schools | RSU 71 |
| High school in town | None 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.