Compare towns
Appleton vs Wade vs Searsmont
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wade has the most affordable homes ($157k median).
Searsmont has the highest household income ($87k).
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 | Wade | Searsmont |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
244Lowest |
1,646Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | +0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
44.5±9.8Lowest about the ME average |
| Wade 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%±6.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Wade 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% |
34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wade 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% |
33.2% ME: 36.2% |
31.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont 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±$19k 28% below ME |
$41,818±$25kLowest 44% below ME |
$87,000±$20kHighest 16% above ME |
| Searsmont 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 |
$157,100±$109kLowest 47% below ME |
$284,000±$31kHighest 4% below ME |
| Searsmont and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
— | $940±$311Lowest 17% below ME |
| Appleton and Searsmont 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 |
$1,655Lowest 45% below ME |
$2,788 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Searsmont 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% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±6.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Searsmont 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 | — | RSU 71 |
| High school 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.