Compare towns
Appleton vs Warren vs Gray
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 oldest population (median age 49.2).
Warren has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
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 | Warren | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
4,932 |
8,429Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
42.2±2.2Lowest 6% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Appleton and Gray 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% |
13.9%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Appleton 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% |
12%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Gray 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% |
21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Warren 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 |
$74,616±$21k about the ME average |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
| Gray and Warren 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 |
$232,700±$32kLowest 22% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,125±$456 about the ME average |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
| Gray and Warren 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 |
$2,832Lowest 7% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
52.1%±29.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Gray 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% |
6% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Gray and Warren 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 | — | #120 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.5 |
| 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.