Compare towns
Appleton vs Smyrna
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 expensive homes ($236k median).
Smyrna has the most kids (33.2% 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 | Smyrna |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,360Highest |
380Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
31±9.6Lowest 31% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
33.2%±5.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
10.8%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Smyrna 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 |
$57,750±$19kHighest 23% below ME |
| Smyrna and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$117,100±$10kLowest 61% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$425±$63Lowest 63% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,200Lowest 60% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Smyrna 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% |
15.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
15 minLowest 37% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±6.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Smyrna 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 |
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.