Compare towns

Appleton vs Prospect vs Pittston

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 people working from home (11.1%).
Prospect has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Pittston has the shortest commute (26 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.

MeasureAppletonProspectPittston
People
Population
1,360
923Lowest
3,093Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+7.2%
ME: +2.6%
-1.6%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+7.8%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
49.2±7.4Highest
10% above ME
45.2±7.5
about the ME average
41.4±5.9Lowest
8% below ME
Appleton and Prospect 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%
25.2%±10.7Highest
ME: 18.1%
17.2%±7.4
ME: 18.1%
Prospect 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%
19.8%±1.7
ME: 22.4%
18.5%±6.1Lowest
ME: 22.4%
Appleton and Prospect 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%
22.3%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
26.7%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.7%±2.4
ME: 5.8%
1.6%±1Lowest
ME: 5.8%
5.4%±4.1Highest
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
$81,250±$17k
9% above ME
$86,614±$18kHighest
16% above ME
Pittston and Prospect 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
$196,500±$19kLowest
34% below ME
$238,700±$66kHighest
20% below ME
Pittston and Appleton 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
$1,107±$61Highest
about the ME average
$1,080±$593Lowest
5% below ME
Prospect 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
$1,979
35% below ME
$1,909Lowest
37% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
85.4%±100Highest
ME: 48.4%
31.3%±42Lowest
ME: 48.4%
57.6%±34.6
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%
ME: 10.7%
7.3%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
10.2%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.6%
ME: 74.3%
88.8%Highest
ME: 74.3%
81%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1988
11 yrs newer than ME
1998Highest
21 yrs newer than ME
1983Lowest
6 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 min
23% above ME
33 minHighest
34% above ME
26 minLowest
7% above ME
Work from home
11.1%±3.5Highest
ME: 15.9%
6.2%±3.3
ME: 15.9%
3.8%±3.8Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Appleton and Prospect 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
High school 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.