Compare towns
Ludlow vs Appleton vs Washburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ludlow has the highest household income ($63k).
Appleton has the most expensive homes ($236k median).
Washburn has the most affordable homes ($113k median).
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 | Ludlow | Appleton | Washburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 444Lowest |
1,360Highest |
1,355 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.1±5.8Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
48.2±7.7 8% above ME |
| Appleton and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Ludlow and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24%±3.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,500±$21kHighest 16% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$56,196±$6k 25% below ME |
| Ludlow and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $133,900±$56k 55% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$112,900±$14kLowest 62% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $988±$111 13% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$482±$62Lowest 58% below ME |
| Appleton and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,655 45% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,571Lowest 48% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±94.3 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±24.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
78.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 15% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 45/MSAD 45 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Washburn District High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.0 |
| 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.