Compare towns
Baldwin vs Appleton vs Swanville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Baldwin has the highest household income ($68k).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Swanville has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Baldwin | Appleton | Swanville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,170Lowest |
1,360Highest |
1,195 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.6±4.6 13% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
53.2±6.4Highest 19% above ME |
| Swanville and Baldwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Appleton and Swanville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Baldwin and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Baldwin and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,045±$8kHighest 9% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$51,935±$7kLowest 31% below ME |
| Baldwin and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,200±$38kHighest 11% below ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$237,300±$36k 20% below ME |
| Baldwin and Swanville 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 |
$1,191±$113Highest 5% above ME |
| Swanville and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,540 16% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,368Lowest 22% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±42.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
47.5%±33.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Swanville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
23%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 32% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
26 minLowest 4% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±4.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.7%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Swanville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 71 |
| 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.