Compare towns
Liberty vs Gorham vs Appleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Liberty has the most affordable homes ($230k median).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
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 | Liberty | Gorham | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 969Lowest |
18,300Highest |
1,360 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±6.8 10% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
| Appleton and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±2.8 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.4% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,146±$15k 5% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $229,600±$31kLowest 23% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,434Lowest 20% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 56% above ME |
27 minLowest 10% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.4%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham and Liberty 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 | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Gorham Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— |
| 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.