Compare towns
Danforth vs Readfield vs Appleton vs Island Falls
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).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Island Falls has the shortest commute (21 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 | Danforth | Readfield | Appleton | Island Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 452Lowest |
2,651Highest |
1,360 |
768 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | 0% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±5.3Highest 16% above ME |
48.1±7.6Lowest 7% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
50.7±10.6 13% above ME |
| Danforth and Island Falls 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% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±7.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Island Falls and Readfield 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% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
26.3%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Island Falls and Appleton 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% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
12.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Readfield 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 |
$86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$56,328±$8k 25% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$108,300±$25k 63% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$22Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$636±$124 44% below ME |
| Readfield and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | — | $3,392 12% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,720Lowest 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
17.9%±51.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12% ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
20.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1960Lowest 17 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield 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 | — | #20 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 38 | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— | — |
| 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.