Compare towns
Appleton vs Strong vs Waldo
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%).
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 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 | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Highest |
1,249 |
926Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
| Appleton and Strong 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%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Waldo and Strong 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% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Strong 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% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest 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 |
$71,458±$21kHighest 4% below ME |
| Waldo 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±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
| Appleton and Waldo 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 |
$1,150±$691Highest about the ME average |
| Waldo 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 |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Waldo 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 | Waldo-Region 7 |
| 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.