Compare towns
Appleton vs West Bath vs Kittery vs Strong
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%).
West Bath has the highest household income ($103k).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Strong has the most kids (19.5% under 18).
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 | West Bath | Kittery | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,863 |
10,473Highest |
1,249Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
46.8±2.3Lowest 4% above ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
| West Bath 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% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Strong 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% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath and Kittery 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% |
50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
46% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| West Bath and Kittery 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 |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
$93,728±$14k 25% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
| West Bath and Kittery 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 |
$422,800±$102k 43% above ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
| Kittery and West Bath 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 |
$1,112±$327 about the ME average |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$3,516 16% above ME |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and West Bath 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.3% ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Strong 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 | — | — | #17 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | West Bath Public Schools | Kittery Public Schools | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.9 |
— |
| 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.