Compare towns
Appleton vs Strong vs Thomaston
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%).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 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 | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,249Lowest |
2,769Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
| Thomaston and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Strong and Thomaston 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% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Thomaston 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% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$56,435±$13kHighest 24% below ME |
| Thomaston and Appleton 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 |
$271,700±$10kHighest 8% below ME |
| Thomaston 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 |
$920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,262±$343Highest 11% above ME |
| Thomaston 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 |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Thomaston 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Appleton 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 | — | — | #99 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 13 |
| 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 |
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.