Compare towns
Cherryfield vs Appleton vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cherryfield has the most people working from home (18.2%).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($125k 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 | Cherryfield | Appleton | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 809Lowest |
1,360Highest |
1,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 58.1±4.2Highest 30% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
53.4±9.1 19% above ME |
| Cherryfield and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.3%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Appleton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 32.4%±9.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32.2%±8 ME: 22.4% |
| Cherryfield and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Ashland and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $37,115±$17kLowest 50% below ME |
$53,618±$19kHighest 28% below ME |
$46,838±$15k 37% below ME |
| Appleton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,800±$53k 34% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$125,000±$49kLowest 58% below ME |
| Appleton and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $428±$107Lowest 62% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,950 36% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,511Lowest 50% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.5%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
25.7%±27.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 26.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.2%±10.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
4.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cherryfield and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Cherryfield Public Schools | 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.