Compare towns
Appleton vs Phillips vs Strong vs Searsmont
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%).
Phillips has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Searsmont has the highest household income ($87k).
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 | Phillips | Strong | Searsmont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,094Lowest |
1,249 |
1,646Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
44.5±9.8Lowest about the ME average |
| Phillips 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% |
20.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Phillips 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% |
21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Strong 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% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
31.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont and Phillips 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 |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$47,557±$10k 36% below ME |
$87,000±$20kHighest 16% above ME |
| Searsmont and Appleton 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 |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$284,000±$31kHighest 4% 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 |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$940±$311 17% 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 |
$2,582 15% below ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$2,788 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3 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% |
17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
90.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 71 |
| High school in town | None 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.