Compare towns
Liberty vs Palermo vs Waldo 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1981).
Palermo has the highest household income ($89k).
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
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 | Palermo | Waldo | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 969 |
1,473Highest |
926Lowest |
1,360 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±6.8 10% below ME |
43.4±6.1 3% below ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
| Appleton and Palermo 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% |
18.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Waldo 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% |
21.2%±2 ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,146±$15k 5% below ME |
$89,095±$15kHighest 19% above ME |
$71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
| Palermo and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $229,600±$31k 23% below ME |
$259,700±$54kHighest 12% below ME |
$208,000±$41kLowest 30% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
| Palermo and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
$1,235±$1kHighest 8% above ME |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
| Palermo and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,434 20% below ME |
$2,506 17% below ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±42.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Waldo 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% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1% ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest 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 |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 56% above ME |
31 min 24% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.4%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 12 | Waldo-Region 7 | Appleton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.