Compare towns
North Windham vs Appleton vs Vassalboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Windham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Vassalboro has the most kids (23.3% 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 | North Windham | Appleton | Vassalboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,417Highest |
1,360Lowest |
4,592 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3Lowest 6% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
44.5±3.6 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Vassalboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Vassalboro and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Vassalboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Vassalboro and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,522±$8kHighest 18% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$72,300±$7k 3% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,800±$29kHighest 16% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$244,300±$22k 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,248±$604Highest 10% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,006±$188Lowest 12% below ME |
| North Windham and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,546 17% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,117Lowest 30% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.7%±14.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
54.8%±25.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Vassalboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 7% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.2%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| North Windham 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 | — | — | #107 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | Vassalboro 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.