Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Appleton vs Washington vs Alfred
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%).
Washington has the most people working from home (14.6%).
Alfred has the most expensive homes ($342k 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 | Washington | Alfred |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,188Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,624 |
3,125 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
48.2±6.7 8% above ME |
44.9±5.3 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Washington 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% |
14.2%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Alfred 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% |
21.3%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Alfred 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% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Washington 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 |
$59,861±$17k 20% below ME |
$82,321±$18k 10% above ME |
| Bowdoin and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71k about the ME average |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$195,200±$36kLowest 34% below ME |
$342,300±$38kHighest 15% above ME |
| Alfred and Bowdoin 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 |
$1,036±$322 9% below ME |
$1,035±$432Lowest 9% below ME |
| Appleton and Washington 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 |
$2,286Lowest 25% below ME |
$3,543 17% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.3%±62.8 ME: 48.4% |
82.2%±29.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Alfred 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% ME: 10.7% |
15.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 29% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
14.6%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Washington 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 | — | — | #74 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.