Compare towns
Mount Vernon vs Appleton vs Rome
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Vernon has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Rome has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).
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 | Mount Vernon | Appleton | Rome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,716Highest |
1,360 |
1,215Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.1±6.2Lowest 5% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
48.3±9.2 8% above ME |
| Appleton and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Rome and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±1.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±9.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Vernon and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±4.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Rome and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,395±$6k about the ME average |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$77,639±$25kHighest 4% above ME |
| Rome and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $264,200±$23k 11% below ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$329,300±$36kHighest 11% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $893±$168Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,150±$56Highest about the ME average |
| Rome and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,832 7% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,829Lowest 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±36.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
54.2%±59.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
30 minLowest 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 38 | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school 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.