Compare towns
Appleton vs Steep Falls vs Orland
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).
Steep Falls has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Orland has the most people working from home (17%).
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 | Steep Falls | Orland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,861 |
1,915Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
44.1±6.5Lowest about the ME average |
50.6±4.2Highest 13% above ME |
| Orland 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% |
22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls 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% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Orland 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% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
31.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Orland 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 |
$80,280±$33kHighest 7% above ME |
$69,348±$29k 7% below ME |
| Steep Falls and Orland 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 |
$243,400±$31k 18% below ME |
$277,100±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
| Orland and Steep Falls 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 |
$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
$1,149±$177 about the ME average |
| Steep Falls and Orland 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 |
$3,273 8% above ME |
$2,089Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1 ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Steep Falls 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% |
7.2% ME: 10.7% |
7.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 23% above ME |
31 min 25% above ME |
40 minHighest 62% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Orland and Appleton 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 | 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.