Compare towns
Oakland vs Appleton vs Belgrade
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oakland has the youngest population (median age 40.2).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Belgrade has the most people working from home (20.4%).
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 | Oakland | Appleton | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,309Highest |
1,360Lowest |
3,351 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
| Appleton and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,813±$16k 4% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$88,338±$13kHighest 18% above ME |
| Belgrade and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $236,000±$23k 20% below ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$312,200±$44kHighest 5% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$74 18% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,859 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade 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 | #23 of 133 in ME | — | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Messalonskee High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2 |
— | — |
| 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.