Compare towns
Appleton vs Wayne vs Otis
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%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Otis has the highest household income ($101k).
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 | Wayne | Otis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Highest |
1,101 |
705Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
54.7±3.1 22% above ME |
| Wayne and Otis 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% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±7.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Otis 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% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.9%±8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$101,250±$27kHighest 35% above ME |
| Otis and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$282,500±$23k 5% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,563±$734Highest 37% above ME |
| Otis 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 |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$2,263Lowest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
35.7%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Otis 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% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 23% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
42 minHighest 69% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 38 | Otis Public Schools |
| 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.