Compare towns
Auburn vs Appleton vs Sanford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Sanford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+125.2%).
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 | Auburn | Appleton | Sanford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,602Highest |
1,360Lowest |
22,247 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+125.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7Lowest 8% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
42.1±2.8 6% below ME |
| Appleton and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.3%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Auburn and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.8%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±0.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Auburn and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$72,524±$7kHighest about the ME average |
| Sanford and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,000±$12kHighest 5% below ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$280,200±$10k 6% below ME |
| Auburn and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74Lowest 9% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,152±$72Highest about the ME average |
| Sanford and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,687 21% above ME |
$3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
$3,708Highest 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±7.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
71.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 12% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Auburn and Appleton 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 | #110 of 133 in ME | — | #100 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | Sanford Public Schools |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | None in town | Sanford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
— | 17.7Highest |
| 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.