Compare towns

Appleton vs Somerville vs Cornish

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 people working from home (11.1%).
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($274k median).

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.

MeasureAppletonSomervilleCornish
People
Population
1,360
837Lowest
1,803Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+7.2%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+9.5%Highest
ME: +2.6%
+7.5%
ME: +2.6%
Median age
49.2±7.4Highest
10% above ME
33.5±11.3Lowest
25% below ME
39±8.5
13% below ME
Appleton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
15.3%±2.7Lowest
ME: 18.1%
28.8%±7Highest
ME: 18.1%
18.2%±3.3
ME: 18.1%
Age 65+
26.1%±9.3Highest
ME: 22.4%
13.7%±2.9Lowest
ME: 22.4%
17.4%±4.9
ME: 22.4%
Appleton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
34.1%Highest
ME: 36.2%
25.7%
ME: 36.2%
21%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.7%±2.4Highest
ME: 5.8%
1.8%±1.7Lowest
ME: 5.8%
2.8%±1.4
ME: 5.8%
Appleton and Cornish 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
$71,250±$15kHighest
5% below ME
$69,038±$4k
8% below ME
Somerville and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$235,600±$33k
21% below ME
$218,100±$41kLowest
26% below ME
$274,200±$84kHighest
8% below ME
Cornish and Appleton 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
$1,583±$265Highest
39% above ME
$1,196±$148
5% above ME
Somerville and Cornish 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
$2,505
17% below ME
$2,309Lowest
24% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
85.4%±100Highest
ME: 48.4%
65.7%±58.5
ME: 48.4%
48.8%±17.5Lowest
ME: 48.4%
Appleton and Somerville 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%
17%Highest
ME: 10.7%
6.3%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.6%
ME: 74.3%
85.8%Highest
ME: 74.3%
82.1%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1988
11 yrs newer than ME
1989Highest
12 yrs newer than ME
1976Lowest
1 yr older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 min
23% above ME
27 minLowest
9% above ME
31 minHighest
27% above ME
Work from home
11.1%±3.5Highest
ME: 15.9%
3.9%±2.3Lowest
ME: 15.9%
8.5%±2.4
ME: 15.9%
Appleton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district Appleton Public Schools RSU 12 —
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.