Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Appleton vs West Gardiner
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 most kids (19.1% under 18).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
West Gardiner has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | West Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188 |
1,360Lowest |
3,696Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
43.5±2.8Lowest about the ME average |
| 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%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and West Gardiner 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% |
17.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner 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±$13k 22% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$96,172±$30kHighest 29% above ME |
| West Gardiner and Bowdoin 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±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$305,100±$42kHighest about the ME average |
| West Gardiner 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 |
$1,087±$150Lowest 5% below ME |
| Appleton and West Gardiner 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 |
$2,282Lowest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
57.1%±9.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and West Gardiner 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% |
9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987Lowest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| West Gardiner 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 | — | #90 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None 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.