Compare towns
Appleton vs Smithfield 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 affordable homes ($236k median).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (22%).
Pittston has the youngest population (median age 41.4).
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 | Smithfield | Pittston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
856Lowest |
3,093Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Smithfield 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% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Pittston and Appleton 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% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Smithfield 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% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest 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 |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$86,614±$18k 16% above ME |
| Smithfield and Pittston 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 |
$242,800±$15kHighest 18% below ME |
$238,700±$66k 20% below ME |
| Smithfield and Pittston 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 |
$1,109±$358Highest about the ME average |
$1,080±$593Lowest 5% below ME |
| Smithfield 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 |
$2,866 6% below ME |
$1,909Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2Lowest 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| 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.