Compare towns
Manchester vs Appleton vs Newcastle
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Manchester has the most kids (19% under 18).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Newcastle has the most people working from home (20.2%).
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 | Manchester | Appleton | Newcastle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,424Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,913 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.9±4.6Lowest 5% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
49.4±7Highest 10% above ME |
| Newcastle and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.8%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Manchester and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±1.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Newcastle and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,031±$16kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$89,868±$33k 20% above ME |
| Manchester and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $299,600±$40k about the ME average |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$398,000±$41kHighest 34% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $993±$116Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,363±$81Highest 20% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,486Lowest 15% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$4,256Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.9%±18.6 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
5.8%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 19% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
17 minLowest 30% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.9%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Newcastle and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 38 | 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.