Compare towns
Appleton vs Perham vs Weston
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 expensive homes ($236k median).
Perham has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
Weston has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Weston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Highest |
326 |
275Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
53±12.9 18% above ME |
55.1±14Highest 23% above ME |
| Weston and Perham 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% |
14.9%±7.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Perham 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% |
24.5%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±4.3Lowest 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% |
23.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±4.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Perham 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 |
$62,500±$22kHighest 16% below ME |
$58,942±$7k 21% below ME |
| Perham and Weston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
$171,700±$26k 42% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,641 46% below ME |
$1,500Lowest 51% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Weston and Appleton 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% |
19.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±12.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| 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.