Compare towns
Appleton vs Phillips vs Troy
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).
Troy has the most people working from home (25.3%).
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 | Troy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Highest |
1,094 |
984Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
49.3±13.6 10% above ME |
| Phillips and Troy 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% |
20.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Troy 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% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Troy 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±$19kHighest 28% below ME |
$45,385±$12k 39% below ME |
$44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
| Appleton and Phillips 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 |
$190,800±$18kLowest 36% below ME |
$213,000±$31k 28% below ME |
| Appleton and Troy 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 |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$1,255±$211Highest 10% above ME |
| Troy 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 |
$2,582 15% below ME |
$1,752Lowest 42% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.2%±44.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.7% ME: 10.7% |
17.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
50 minHighest 102% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Troy 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 03/MSAD 03 |
| 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 |
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.