Compare towns
Milo vs Appleton vs Mars Hill vs Limestone
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 affordable homes ($97k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Mars Hill has the highest household income ($65k).
Limestone has the most people working from home (14.5%).
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 | Mars Hill | Limestone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,165Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,398 |
1,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9% ME: +2.6% |
-34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.9±7 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
45.3±4.9 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Limestone 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% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Limestone 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%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Mars Hill 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% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
20.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Limestone and Mars Hill 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±$19k 28% below ME |
$65,273±$9kHighest 13% below ME |
$49,938±$8kLowest 33% below ME |
| Mars Hill 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±$27kLowest 67% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$163,600±$23k 45% below ME |
$98,400±$18k 67% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $879±$400 23% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$754±$233 34% below ME |
| Appleton and Milo 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 |
$1,843 39% below ME |
$1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32%±12.4 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.6% ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1967 10 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 70% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.2%±2.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±5.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Limestone and Appleton 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 42/MSAD 42 | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools |
| High school in town | Penquis Valley Middle/High School | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 8.0Lowest |
8.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.