Compare towns
Athens vs Appleton vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athens has the most affordable homes ($153k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Lee has the most people working from home (11.9%).
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 | Athens | Appleton | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 791Lowest |
1,360Highest |
925 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.7±7.2Lowest 6% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
51.5±11.5Highest 15% above ME |
| Lee and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±5 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lee and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Lee and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $50,750±$14k 32% below ME |
$53,618±$19kHighest 28% below ME |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
| Appleton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $153,100±$33kLowest 48% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$174,500±$25k 41% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $538±$457Lowest 53% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,355Lowest 55% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,547 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Athens and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 23.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 18% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.1%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Lee and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Athens Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 30/MSAD 30 |
| 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.