Compare towns
Appleton vs Starks vs Warren vs Penobscot
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%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Warren has the highest household income ($75k).
Penobscot has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Starks | Warren | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
556Lowest |
4,932Highest |
1,154 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2.4% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
42.2±2.2Lowest 6% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Penobscot 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% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Penobscot and Starks 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% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
12%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Warren 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 |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$74,616±$21kHighest about the ME average |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
| Warren and Starks 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 |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$232,700±$32k 22% below ME |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Appleton 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 |
$1,063±$301Lowest 7% below ME |
$1,125±$456 about the ME average |
$1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Warren 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 |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$2,832 7% below ME |
$1,852 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
52.1%±29.8 ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Penobscot 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% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot and Warren 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 | — | — | #120 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | Penobscot Public Schools |
| 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 | 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.