Compare towns
Madison vs Appleton vs Paris
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madison has the most affordable homes ($188k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Paris has the highest household income ($75k).
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 | Madison | Appleton | Paris |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,782 |
1,360Lowest |
5,317Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.6±3.4Highest 11% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
48.2±5.6Lowest 8% above ME |
| Madison and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.8%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Paris and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.6%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±3.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Paris and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,747±$11k 17% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$75,137±$20kHighest about the ME average |
| Paris and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $187,600±$40kLowest 37% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$240,400±$57kHighest 19% below ME |
| Paris and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $906±$247Lowest 20% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
— |
| Appleton and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,983Lowest 35% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,649 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.9%±11.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
62.3%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
60.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
22 minLowest 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.4%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Paris and Madison 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 | — | — | #114 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 59/MSAD 59 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | Madison Jr/Sr High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
— | — |
| 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.