Compare towns
Appleton vs West Gardiner 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 Gardiner has the highest household income ($96k).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 Gardiner | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
3,696Highest |
1,249Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
43.5±2.8Lowest about the ME average |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
| Appleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Strong and West Gardiner 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% |
17.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Strong 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% |
32.8% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner 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±$19k 28% below ME |
$96,172±$30kHighest 29% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
| West Gardiner 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 |
$305,100±$42kHighest about the ME average |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
| West Gardiner 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 |
$1,087±$150 5% below ME |
$920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
| Appleton and West Gardiner 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 |
$2,282 25% below ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
57.1%±9.4 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and West Gardiner 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% |
9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±7.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and West Gardiner 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 | — | #90 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.