Compare towns
Norridgewock vs Appleton vs Millinocket vs Mercer
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%).
Millinocket has the most affordable homes ($104k median).
Mercer has the most kids (20.1% under 18).
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 | Millinocket | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,288 |
1,360 |
4,115Highest |
718Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.3±11 12% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
54.2±6.2Highest 21% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Millinocket and Norridgewock 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% |
16.1%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mercer and Millinocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25%±7.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
36.2%±8.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Millinocket and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Millinocket and Appleton 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±$19k 28% below ME |
$51,007±$9kLowest 32% below ME |
$71,107±$2kHighest 5% below ME |
| Mercer 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±$52k 49% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$103,800±$26kLowest 65% 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 | $1,063±$588 7% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$451±$130Lowest 60% below ME |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
| Mercer and Appleton 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 |
$1,580 48% below ME |
$1,970 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±46.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.5%±11 ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74Lowest 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% |
17.1% ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1956Lowest 21 yrs older than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 10% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 22.3%±13.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Norridgewock and Mercer 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 | — | #98 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 54/MSAD 54 | Appleton Public Schools | Millinocket Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Stearns Jr-Sr High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.6 |
— |
| 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.