Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Appleton vs Sangerville
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Sangerville has the most affordable homes ($124k 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.
| Measure | Bowdoin | Appleton | Sangerville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188Highest |
1,360 |
1,136Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
53.9±6.9Highest 20% above ME |
| Sangerville and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Appleton 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% |
24.1%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Sangerville 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% |
12.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Sangerville 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±$19k 28% below ME |
$50,313±$14kLowest 33% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$124,000±$40kLowest 58% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Appleton 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 |
$850±$136Lowest 25% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375 11% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,349Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.6%±27.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Sangerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 18% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.7%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sangerville 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | 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.