Compare towns
Monroe vs Appleton vs Pittston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Monroe has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Pittston has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Monroe | Appleton | Pittston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,001Lowest |
1,360 |
3,093Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±7 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Appleton and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$86,614±$18kHighest 16% above ME |
| Pittston and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $220,300±$57kLowest 26% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$238,700±$66kHighest 20% below ME |
| Pittston and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,080±$593Lowest 5% below ME |
| Monroe and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,207 27% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,909Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±47.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
81%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 28% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.8%±4.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Monroe and Appleton 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 | — | — | #123 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None 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.