Compare towns
Appleton vs Perham vs Searsmont vs Strong
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 renters (17.4% rent).
Perham has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
Searsmont has the highest household income ($87k).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Perham | Searsmont | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
326Lowest |
1,646Highest |
1,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | +0.6% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
53±12.9Highest 18% above ME |
44.5±9.8Lowest about the ME average |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
| Perham 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% |
19.6%±8.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Perham and Strong 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% |
24.5%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Perham 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% |
18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
31.6% ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont 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±$19k 28% below ME |
$62,500±$22k 16% below ME |
$87,000±$20kHighest 16% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
| Searsmont and Perham 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 |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
$284,000±$31kHighest 4% below ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
| Searsmont and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
— | $940±$311 17% below ME |
$920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
| Appleton and Searsmont 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 |
$1,641Lowest 46% below ME |
$2,788 8% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 71 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| 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 | 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.