Compare towns
Danforth vs Appleton vs Bowdoin vs Mattawamkeag
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Bowdoin has the highest household income ($91k).
Mattawamkeag has the most renters (23.9% rent).
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 | Danforth | Appleton | Bowdoin | Mattawamkeag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 452Lowest |
1,360 |
3,188Highest |
698 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-13.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±5.3Highest 16% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
44.3±10Lowest about the ME average |
51.4±3.8 15% above ME |
| Danforth and Mattawamkeag are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.8%±6.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±9.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Mattawamkeag are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.1%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
6.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$45,000±$16k 40% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$104,200±$41k 65% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$22 45% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
— | $488±$190Lowest 57% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | — | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
$1,111Lowest 63% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±71.8 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.7%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Mattawamkeag 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% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
33.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
42 minHighest 69% above ME |
| Work from home | 3%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
2.2%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bowdoin and Appleton 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 | — |
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — |
| High school 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.