Compare towns
Appleton vs Owls Head vs Phippsburg
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%).
Owls Head has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Phippsburg has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Owls Head | Phippsburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,482 |
2,238Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
52.6±6.6 17% above ME |
54.3±6.3Highest 21% above ME |
| Phippsburg and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Appleton and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31.9%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
34.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Phippsburg and Owls Head 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% |
39.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Owls Head 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 |
$87,325±$7k 17% above ME |
$107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
| Phippsburg and Owls Head 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 |
$413,300±$43kHighest 39% above ME |
$335,800±$47k 13% above ME |
| Owls Head and Phippsburg 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 |
$1,191±$386Highest 5% above ME |
$1,022±$346Lowest 10% below ME |
| Owls Head 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 |
$2,981 about the ME average |
$2,034Lowest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
29.9%±51.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
35.5%±98.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Phippsburg 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% |
5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
16 minLowest 34% below ME |
21 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.3%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Owls Head and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 13 | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| 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.