Compare towns
Newburgh vs Appleton vs Brooks vs Carmel
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newburgh has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
Carmel has the highest household income ($82k).
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 | Newburgh | Appleton | Brooks | Carmel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,475 |
1,360 |
1,208Lowest |
2,941Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±5.7Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
46.4±4.5 4% above ME |
| Appleton and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Newburgh and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,750±$10k about the ME average |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
$82,188±$22kHighest 10% above ME |
| Carmel and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $244,600±$20k 18% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$256,800±$37kHighest 13% below ME |
| Carmel and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $950±$219Lowest 17% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
| Carmel and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,748 9% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$2,662 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.7% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks 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 | — | — | — | #77 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 |
| 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.