Compare towns
Liberty vs Wade 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 highest household income ($71k).
Wade has the most affordable homes ($157k median).
Appleton has the shortest commute (30 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 | Liberty | Wade | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 969 |
244Lowest |
1,360Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±6.8Lowest 10% below ME |
53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
| Wade and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±6.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Liberty and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±2.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Wade and Appleton 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% |
33.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,146±$15kHighest 5% below ME |
$41,818±$25kLowest 44% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
| Liberty and Appleton 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 |
$157,100±$109kLowest 47% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
| Appleton and Liberty 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 |
— | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,434 20% below ME |
$1,655Lowest 45% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest 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% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 56% above ME |
34 min 37% above ME |
30 minLowest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.4%±8.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±6.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Liberty and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — | 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 |
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.