Compare towns
Appleton vs Palmyra vs Cornish
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 people working from home (11.1%).
Palmyra has the most kids (29.2% under 18).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($274k 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 | Palmyra | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
2,209Highest |
1,803 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
37.1±4.8Lowest 17% below ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
| Appleton and Cornish 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% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Cornish 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% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Palmyra 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 |
$60,543±$17k 19% below ME |
$69,038±$4kHighest 8% below ME |
| Cornish and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
| Cornish and Appleton 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 |
$733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
| Cornish 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 |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,309 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Cornish 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% |
9.1% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | — |
| High school 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.