Compare towns
Appleton vs Strong vs Surry 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 the most renters (17.4% rent).
Strong has the most affordable homes ($184k median).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Penobscot 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 | Strong | Surry | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,249 |
1,836Highest |
1,154Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Penobscot and Surry 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% |
19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Strong and Penobscot 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% |
22%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Surry 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% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1 ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$74,508±$12kHighest about the ME average |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
| Surry and Penobscot 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 |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Surry 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 |
$920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
$1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Appleton 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 |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
$1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5 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% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | Surry Public Schools | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.