Compare towns
Franklin vs Bowdoin vs Appleton vs Sullivan
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Franklin has the most renters (23.2% rent).
Bowdoin has the highest household income ($91k).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Sullivan has the shortest commute (26 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 | Franklin | Bowdoin | Appleton | Sullivan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,628 |
3,188Highest |
1,360 |
1,246Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46±9.3 about the ME average |
44.3±10Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
47.1±15 5% above ME |
| Appleton and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.6%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.5%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5% ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Sullivan and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
$91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$59,643±$14k 20% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$222,000±$33kLowest 25% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $888±$306 22% below ME |
— | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$883±$114Lowest 22% below ME |
| Appleton and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,231 27% below ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,228Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
34.9%±23.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±7.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sullivan and Franklin 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 | RSU 24 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Sumner Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.5 |
| 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.