Compare towns
Mercer vs Appleton vs Vienna
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mercer has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Vienna has the most expensive homes ($276k 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 | Mercer | Appleton | Vienna |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 718 |
1,360Highest |
536Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
42.8±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
| Appleton and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.1%±5.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mercer and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.9%±5.6 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Vienna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,107±$2k 5% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$75,481±$20kHighest about the ME average |
| Vienna and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,500±$32k 20% below ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$276,400±$62kHighest 7% below ME |
| Vienna and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
— |
| Mercer and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,970Lowest 35% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,469 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
28.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Vienna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Lowest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987Lowest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
30 minLowest 23% above ME |
62 minHighest 150% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.6%±5.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mercer and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school 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.