Compare towns
Morrill vs Appleton vs Waldo vs Mercer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Morrill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Mercer has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Morrill | Appleton | Waldo | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 914 |
1,360Highest |
926 |
718Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.8±6.1 11% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% 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 | 22.8%±4.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Morrill and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6 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+ | 31.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Morrill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,250±$18kHighest about the ME average |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
$71,107±$2k 5% below ME |
| Morrill and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $214,000±$18k 28% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$208,000±$41kLowest 30% below ME |
$238,500±$32kHighest 20% below ME |
| Mercer and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$891Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
| Mercer and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,472 19% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,970 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.3%±45.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3 ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.5% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987Lowest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 5.9%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mercer and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 71 | Appleton Public Schools | Waldo-Region 7 | — |
| 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 | 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.