Compare towns
Milo vs Appleton vs Brownville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Milo has the most renters (32.2% rent).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Brownville has the most kids (19% under 18).
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 | Milo | Appleton | Brownville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,165Highest |
1,360 |
983Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.9±7Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
46.5±4.6 4% above ME |
| Appleton and Brownville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.8%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brownville and Milo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
28.1%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Brownville and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±3.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brownville and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,875±$9k 24% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$64,063±$15kHighest 14% below ME |
| Brownville and Milo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $97,100±$27k 67% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$96,700±$22kLowest 67% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $879±$400Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$1,057±$120 7% below ME |
| Appleton and Brownville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,450 52% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,250Lowest 59% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.2%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Milo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.4% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1955Lowest 22 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 70% above ME |
30 minLowest 23% above ME |
37 min 49% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.2%±2.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.8%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Brownville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 41/MSAD 41 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 41/MSAD 41 |
| High school in town | Penquis Valley Middle/High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — |
| 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.