Compare towns
Appleton vs Waterville vs Orland
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).
Orland has the highest household income ($69k).
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 | Orland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
17,077Highest |
1,915 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
50.6±4.2Highest 13% above ME |
| Orland and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Appleton and Orland 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% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Orland 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% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
31.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±4.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$69,348±$29kHighest 7% below ME |
| Orland 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 |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$277,100±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
| Orland 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 |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,149±$177Highest about the ME average |
| Orland 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 |
$2,755 9% below ME |
$2,089Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.8Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
40 minHighest 62% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
17%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Orland and Waterville 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 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Waterville Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| 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.