Compare towns
Appleton vs Willimantic vs Penobscot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most renters (17.4% rent).
Willimantic has the most kids (36.5% under 18).
Penobscot has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Willimantic | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Highest |
200Lowest |
1,154 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
38.5±11.9Lowest 14% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Penobscot and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
36.5%±11.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
25.5%±16.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot 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% |
15.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4%±6.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Willimantic 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 |
$63,472±$52kHighest 15% below ME |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
| Willimantic and Penobscot 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 |
$131,700±$21kLowest 56% below ME |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
— | $1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
| Penobscot 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 |
$1,285Lowest 58% below ME |
$1,852 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
— | 73.9%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Penobscot 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% |
32.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
16% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±13.9 ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school 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.