Compare towns
Orient vs Appleton vs Danforth vs Meddybemps
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orient has the most people working from home (81%).
Appleton has the youngest population (median age 49.2).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Meddybemps has the oldest population (median age 63.9).
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 | Orient | Appleton | Danforth | Meddybemps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 137Lowest |
1,360Highest |
452 |
139 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 62±9 38% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
51.9±5.3 16% above ME |
63.9±4.2Highest 43% above ME |
| Meddybemps and Orient are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.8%±18.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±6.6 ME: 18.1% |
5%±21.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Orient and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 46%±10.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±5.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
39.6%±15.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Orient and Meddybemps are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
14.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±11.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5%±10.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Meddybemps and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | — | $53,618±$19kHighest 28% below ME |
$42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$48,000±$13k 36% below ME |
| Appleton and Meddybemps are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $548,600±$183kHighest 85% above ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$295,000±$73k about the ME average |
| Orient and Meddybemps are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$629±$22Lowest 45% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | — | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
— | $1,206Lowest 60% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 35.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
7.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | — | 30 min 23% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
31 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 81%±44Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
5.4%±7.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | — | — |
| High school 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.