Compare towns
Norridgewock vs Appleton vs Dixfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norridgewock has the most people working from home (22.3%).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Dixfield has the highest household income ($71k).
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 | Norridgewock | Appleton | Dixfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,288Highest |
1,360Lowest |
2,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.3±11Highest 12% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
49.9±4.4 11% above ME |
| Norridgewock and Dixfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.9%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Dixfield and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25%±7.5 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Norridgewock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Dixfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,579±$19k 18% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$70,613±$9kHighest 6% below ME |
| Dixfield and Norridgewock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $151,900±$52kLowest 49% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$160,900±$24k 46% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$588 7% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$658±$287Lowest 42% below ME |
| Appleton and Norridgewock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,462Lowest 52% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,324 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±46.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
48%±20.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Norridgewock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 10% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 22.3%±13.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
5%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Norridgewock 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 | #91 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 54/MSAD 54 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 56 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Dirigo High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
| 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.