Compare towns
Boothbay vs Appleton vs Northport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boothbay has the shortest commute (13 min average).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Northport has the most people working from home (15.2%).
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 | Boothbay | Appleton | Northport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,102Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,621 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.8±3.9Highest 27% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
56.6±3.8 26% above ME |
| Boothbay and Northport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Appleton and Northport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 35.4%±7.8 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
39.2%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Northport and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,320±$17k 19% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$73,523±$8kHighest about the ME average |
| Northport and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,100±$43k 15% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$343,400±$36kHighest 16% above ME |
| Northport and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,147±$121Highest about the ME average |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,088±$299Lowest 4% below ME |
| Boothbay and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,721 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±31Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.8%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Northport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 13 minLowest 46% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.2%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Northport and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | Northport 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.