Compare towns
Appleton vs Rockland vs Searsmont
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%).
Rockland has the shortest commute (12 min average).
Searsmont has the highest household income ($87k).
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 | Rockland | Searsmont |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
7,035Highest |
1,646 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
49.3±6Highest 10% above ME |
44.5±9.8Lowest about the ME average |
| Rockland 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% |
15.5%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Rockland and Appleton 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% |
25.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Rockland 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% |
35.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont 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 |
$56,533±$6k 24% below ME |
$87,000±$20kHighest 16% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$245,800±$38k 17% below ME |
$284,000±$31kHighest 4% below ME |
| Searsmont and Rockland 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 |
$1,092±$105 4% below ME |
$940±$311Lowest 17% below ME |
| Appleton and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$4,059Highest 34% above ME |
$2,788Lowest 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±15.3 ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Rockland 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% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
62%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1948Lowest 29 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
12 minLowest 50% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Rockland and Searsmont 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 | — | #96 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 | RSU 71 |
| High school in town | None in town | Oceanside High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.