Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Appleton vs Monticello
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Monticello has the most affordable homes ($126k 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 | Bridgewater | Appleton | Monticello |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 484Lowest |
1,360Highest |
674 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±8Lowest 9% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
52.7±6Highest 18% above ME |
| Monticello and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.8%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Bridgewater and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±2.8 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
28.2%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Monticello and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
9.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,417±$15kHighest 12% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$51,875±$13kLowest 31% below ME |
| Bridgewater and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $154,900±$78k 48% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$125,800±$36kLowest 58% below ME |
| Appleton and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $768±$116Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$833±$434 27% below ME |
| Appleton and Monticello are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,417 53% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,200Lowest 60% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.9%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.5%±62.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 10% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.5%±5.1 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school 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.