Compare towns

Berwick vs Appleton vs Castle Hill

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Berwick has the most people working from home (20.2%).
Appleton has the most renters (17.4% rent).
Castle Hill has the most affordable homes ($145k median).

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.

MeasureBerwickAppletonCastle Hill
People
Population
8,175Highest
1,360
281Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.7%Highest
ME: +2.6%
+7.2%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
—
Median age
40.7±2.9Lowest
9% below ME
49.2±7.4
10% above ME
57.8±15.8Highest
29% above ME
Castle Hill and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
22.7%±4.4Highest
ME: 18.1%
15.3%±2.7
ME: 18.1%
14.2%±5.8Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Age 65+
17.2%±4.1Lowest
ME: 22.4%
26.1%±9.3
ME: 22.4%
44.8%±6.5Highest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
35%Highest
ME: 36.2%
34.1%
ME: 36.2%
26.7%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.7%±1.7Highest
ME: 5.8%
3.7%±2.4Highest
ME: 5.8%
2.1%±5.3Lowest
ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$94,771±$24kHighest
27% above ME
$53,618±$19kLowest
28% below ME
$54,250±$14k
27% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$369,100±$19kHighest
24% above ME
$235,600±$33k
21% below ME
$145,300±$18kLowest
51% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,452±$430Highest
27% above ME
$1,104±$82
3% below ME
$950±$574Lowest
17% below ME
Berwick and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,436Highest
46% above ME
$3,588
18% above ME
$1,449Lowest
52% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
50.6%±46Lowest
ME: 48.4%
85.4%±100Highest
ME: 48.4%
75%±100
ME: 48.4%
Appleton and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4.2%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
9.7%Highest
ME: 10.7%
4.3%
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.4%
ME: 74.3%
82.6%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
94.3%Highest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1989Highest
12 yrs newer than ME
1988
11 yrs newer than ME
1982Lowest
5 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 min
20% above ME
30 minHighest
23% above ME
19 minLowest
24% below ME
Work from home
20.2%±7.6Highest
ME: 15.9%
11.1%±3.5
ME: 15.9%
10.3%±9.8Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Berwick 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 #101 of 133 in ME — —
School district RSU 60/MSAD 60 Appleton 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.