Compare towns
Danforth vs Bowdoin vs Appleton vs Sangerville
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 ($90k median).
Bowdoin has the highest household income ($91k).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Sangerville has the shortest commute (20 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 | Bowdoin | Appleton | Sangerville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666Lowest |
3,188Highest |
1,360 |
1,136 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.1±4.4 19% above ME |
44.3±10Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
53.9±6.9Highest 20% above ME |
| Sangerville and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.1%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
12.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Sangerville and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $48,125±$8kLowest 36% below ME |
$91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$50,313±$14k 33% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $89,900±$36kLowest 70% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$124,000±$40k 58% 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±$29Lowest 45% below ME |
— | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$850±$136 25% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,349 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.1%±57.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.6%±27.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Sangerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 15% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 18% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
13.7%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sangerville and Bowdoin 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 | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | 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 | 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.