Compare towns
Hiram vs Appleton vs Cornish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hiram has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Appleton has the most people working from home (11.1%).
Cornish has the highest household income ($69k).
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 | Hiram | Appleton | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748Highest |
1,360 |
1,024Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.6±10.2 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
39.2±13.3Lowest 13% below ME |
| Appleton and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
10.5%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hiram and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±6.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,813±$10k 16% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$68,686±$2kHighest 8% below ME |
| Cornish and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,600±$42kHighest 13% below ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
— |
| Hiram and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,070±$161Lowest 6% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,135±$141Highest about the ME average |
| Cornish and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,106 31% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,925Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24.1 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
31%±22.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 28% above ME |
30 minLowest 23% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.6%±3.4 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 55/MSAD 55 | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Sacopee Valley High Sch | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9 |
— | — |
| 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.

