Compare towns
Appleton vs Pittston vs Limerick vs Penobscot
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 affordable homes ($236k median).
Pittston has the most renters (19% rent).
Limerick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.2%).
Penobscot has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Limerick | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
3,093 |
3,400Highest |
1,154Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.8% ME: +2.6% |
+10.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.4±5.9 8% below ME |
40.4±9.2Lowest 10% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Penobscot and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±5.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Limerick and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot 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% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest 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 |
$101,172±$15kHighest 35% above ME |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
| Limerick 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 |
$269,400±$29k 9% below ME |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Limerick 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 |
$1,080±$593Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,758±$407Highest 54% above ME |
$1,141±$33 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,909 37% below ME |
$2,520 17% below ME |
$1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6 ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Penobscot 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% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
6.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
81%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
38 minHighest 53% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.2%±6.7 ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot and Limerick 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 | — | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | — | Penobscot Public Schools |
| 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 | 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.