Compare towns
Appleton vs Waterville vs Newburgh vs Sullivan
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%).
Waterville has the most renters (51.2% rent).
Newburgh has the highest household income ($77k).
Sullivan has the most homeowners (85.2%).
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 | Waterville | Newburgh | Sullivan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
17,077Highest |
1,475 |
1,246Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
-1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
45.8±5.7 about the ME average |
47.1±15 5% above ME |
| Appleton and Sullivan 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% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Newburgh and Sullivan 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% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
22.5%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Sullivan 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% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
29.9% ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$76,750±$10kHighest about the ME average |
$59,643±$14k 20% below ME |
| Newburgh and Sullivan 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 |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$244,600±$20kHighest 18% below ME |
$222,000±$33k 25% below ME |
| Newburgh 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 |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
$950±$219 17% below ME |
$883±$114Lowest 22% below ME |
| Appleton and Waterville 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 |
$2,755 9% below ME |
$2,748 9% below ME |
$2,228Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
34.9%±23.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Waterville 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% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11.7% ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.2% ME: 74.3% |
85.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±7.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Sullivan 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 | — | #105 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Waterville Public Schools | — | RSU 24 |
| High school in town | None in town | Waterville Senior High School | — | Sumner Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.5Lowest |
| 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.