Compare towns
Owls Head vs Appleton vs Cushing
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Owls Head has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Cushing has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Owls Head | Appleton | Cushing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,482Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,460 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±6.6Highest 17% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
48.8±7.7Lowest 9% above ME |
| Owls Head and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Cushing and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.9%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Owls Head and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,325±$7kHighest 17% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
| Owls Head and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,300±$43kHighest 39% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$409,800±$44k 38% above ME |
| Owls Head and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,191±$386 5% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
| Cushing and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,981Lowest about the ME average |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.9%±51.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 34% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 13 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None 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.