Compare towns
Owls Head vs Appleton vs South Thomaston
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 most expensive homes ($413k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
South Thomaston has the most homeowners (92.5%).
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 | South Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,482Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±6.6 17% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
54.3±11.3Highest 21% above ME |
| South Thomaston and Owls Head 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%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.8%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Appleton and South Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.9%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
34.8%±8.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| South Thomaston and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
9%±9.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| South Thomaston and Appleton 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 |
$86,838±$7k 16% above ME |
| Owls Head and South Thomaston 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 |
$341,300±$37k 15% above ME |
| Owls Head and South Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,191±$386Highest 5% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$925±$633Lowest 19% below ME |
| Owls Head and Appleton 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 |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,442 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.9%±51.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
63.6%±43.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and South Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 min 34% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
16 minLowest 36% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.3%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Owls Head and Appleton 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 | — |
| 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.