Compare towns
Appleton vs Readfield vs Weston vs Strong
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 renters (17.4% rent).
Readfield has the highest household income ($87k).
Weston has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Strong has the most kids (19.5% under 18).
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 | Readfield | Weston | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
2,651Highest |
275Lowest |
1,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
— | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
55.1±14Highest 23% above ME |
47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
| Weston 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% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±7.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Strong and Readfield 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% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±4.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Readfield 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 |
$86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME |
$58,942±$7k 21% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$171,700±$26kLowest 42% below ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
— | $920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
| Readfield 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 |
$3,392 12% above ME |
$1,500Lowest 51% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Weston and Appleton 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% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±12.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Strong 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 | — | #20 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 38 | — | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— | — |
| 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.