Compare towns
Appleton vs Palermo vs Orland
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%).
Palermo has the highest household income ($89k).
Orland has the most expensive homes ($277k median).
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 | Palermo | Orland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,473 |
1,915Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
43.4±6.1Lowest 3% below ME |
50.6±4.2Highest 13% above ME |
| Orland 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% |
18.1%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Palermo 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% |
21.2%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Orland 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.7% ME: 36.2% |
31.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Orland 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 |
$89,095±$15kHighest 19% above ME |
$69,348±$29k 7% below ME |
| Palermo and Orland 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 |
$259,700±$54k 12% below ME |
$277,100±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
| Orland and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,235±$1kHighest 8% above ME |
$1,149±$177 about the ME average |
| Palermo and Orland 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 |
$2,506 17% below ME |
$2,089Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
65.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Palermo 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% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 23% above ME |
31 min 24% above ME |
40 minHighest 62% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17%±11.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 12 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.