Compare towns
Palermo vs Appleton vs China vs Somerville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Palermo has the most people working from home (18.8%).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
China has the highest household income ($96k).
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% 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 | Palermo | Appleton | China | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,473 |
1,360 |
4,526Highest |
837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±6.1 3% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
40.9±5.9 9% below ME |
33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
| Appleton and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±2 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.9% ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,095±$15k 19% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$96,309±$12kHighest 29% above ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
| China and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $259,700±$54kHighest 12% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$240,000±$37k 19% below ME |
$218,100±$41kLowest 26% below ME |
| Palermo and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,235±$1k 8% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
— | $1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
| Somerville and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,506 17% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,535 17% below ME |
$2,505Lowest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
6% ME: 10.7% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 24% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
30 min 21% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±4.6 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo and China 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 | — | — | #27 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 12 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 18 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None 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.