Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Appleton vs Lisbon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the highest household income ($91k).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Lisbon has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Bowdoin | Appleton | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188 |
1,360Lowest |
9,750Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
| Appleton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.2%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Lisbon and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$77,819±$9k 4% above ME |
| Bowdoin and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$258,300±$26k 13% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
| Appleton and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375 11% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,324Lowest 9% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
74.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
29 minLowest 17% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Lisbon and Bowdoin 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 | #28 of 133 in ME | — | #60 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Appleton Public Schools | Lisbon Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Lisbon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 15.8 |
| 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.