Compare towns
Appleton vs Rome vs Vienna
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).
Rome has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).
Vienna has the youngest population (median age 42.8).
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 | Rome | Vienna |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Highest |
1,215 |
536Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
48.3±9.2 8% above ME |
42.8±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
| Appleton and Rome 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% |
21.4%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.1%±5.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Rome 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% |
24.7%±9.1 ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±4.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Rome 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 |
$77,639±$25kHighest 4% above ME |
$75,481±$20k about the ME average |
| Rome and Vienna 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 |
$329,300±$36kHighest 11% above ME |
$276,400±$62k 7% below ME |
| Rome and Vienna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,150±$56Highest about the ME average |
— |
| Rome 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 |
$1,829Lowest 40% below ME |
$2,469 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
54.2%±59.8 ME: 48.4% |
28.6%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Rome 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% |
10.3% ME: 10.7% |
13.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
30 minLowest 21% above ME |
62 minHighest 150% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.6%±5.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Vienna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | — |
| High school 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.