Compare towns
Cushing vs Appleton vs Castle Hill
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 the most renters (17.4% rent).
Castle Hill has the most affordable homes ($145k 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 | Cushing | Appleton | Castle Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,460Highest |
1,360 |
281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7Lowest 9% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
| Castle Hill and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±5.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Cushing and Appleton 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% |
44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Cushing 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 |
$54,250±$14k 27% below ME |
| Cushing and Castle Hill 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±$33k 21% below ME |
$145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$950±$574Lowest 17% below ME |
| Cushing and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
75%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Castle Hill 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 5% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 13 | 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.