Compare towns
Appleton vs Standish vs Windham vs Searsmont
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).
Standish has the youngest population (median age 40.5).
Windham has the most kids (19.2% under 18).
Searsmont has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Standish | Windham | Searsmont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
10,662 |
19,188Highest |
1,646 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+3.7% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
44.5±9.8 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Searsmont 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% |
16.4%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Standish 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% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Searsmont 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% |
36% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Standish and Searsmont 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 |
$104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$87,000±$20k 16% above ME |
| Windham and Standish 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 |
$336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$284,000±$31k 4% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$983±$453 14% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$940±$311Lowest 17% below ME |
| Windham and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$3,005 about the ME average |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,788Lowest 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Standish 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% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
90.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #18 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 14 | RSU 71 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.