Compare towns
Cushing vs Appleton vs Beals vs Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Beals has the youngest population (median age 48).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 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 | Cushing | Appleton | Beals | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,460 |
1,360 |
498Lowest |
2,769Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
| Thomaston and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thomaston and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
30.1%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Thomaston and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $83,500±$19kHighest 12% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$64,063±$14k 14% below ME |
$56,435±$13k 24% below ME |
| Cushing and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$256,700±$45k 13% below ME |
$271,700±$10k 8% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$907±$378Lowest 20% below ME |
$1,262±$343 11% above ME |
| Cushing and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944 30% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$2,580Lowest 15% below ME |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
83.9% ME: 74.3% |
73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 5% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 min 17% below ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Beals 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 | — | — | — | #99 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 13 | Appleton Public Schools | Beals Public Schools | RSU 13 |
| 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.