Compare towns
Monticello vs Appleton vs Sumner vs Danforth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Monticello has the oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
Appleton has the most expensive homes ($236k median).
Sumner has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($90k 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 | Monticello | Appleton | Sumner | Danforth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 674 |
1,360Highest |
845 |
666Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
-0.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.7±6 18% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
53.1±4.4 19% above ME |
| Sumner and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.8%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Sumner and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Monticello are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 9.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Monticello are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,875±$13k 31% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$57,750±$19kHighest 23% below ME |
$48,125±$8kLowest 36% below ME |
| Sumner and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $125,800±$36k 58% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$150,000±$73k 49% below ME |
$89,900±$36kLowest 70% below ME |
| Appleton and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $833±$434 27% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
— | $629±$29Lowest 45% below ME |
| Appleton and Monticello are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,200Lowest 60% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$1,270 58% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.5%±62.8 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
36.1%±57.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
28 minLowest 15% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner 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 | RSU 10 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.