Compare towns
Appleton vs Pittston vs Bowdoin
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 oldest population (median age 49.2).
Pittston has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Bowdoin has the most expensive homes ($293k 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 | Pittston | Bowdoin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
3,093 |
3,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Bowdoin 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% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Pittston 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% |
18.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Pittston 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% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston 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 |
$86,614±$18k 16% above ME |
$91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
| Bowdoin and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$238,700±$66k 20% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
| Bowdoin and Pittston 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 |
$1,080±$593Lowest 5% below ME |
— |
| Appleton and Pittston 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 |
$1,909Lowest 37% below ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Pittston 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% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
81%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bowdoin and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #123 of 133 in ME | #28 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.