Compare towns
Appleton vs Searsmont vs Wayne
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%).
Searsmont has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Searsmont | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,646Highest |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
44.5±9.8Lowest about the ME average |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Wayne and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Appleton and Searsmont 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% |
21%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne 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% ME: 36.2% |
31.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont and Wayne 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 |
$87,000±$20k 16% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne and Searsmont 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 |
$284,000±$31k 4% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$940±$311Lowest 17% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
| Appleton and Wayne 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 |
$2,788Lowest 8% below ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 71 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None 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.