Compare towns
Palermo vs Waldo vs Appleton vs China
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%).
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
China has the highest household income ($96k).
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 | Waldo | Appleton | China |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,473 |
926Lowest |
1,360 |
4,526Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±6.1 3% below ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
40.9±5.9 9% 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% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| China and Waldo 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% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±4.4 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
31.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.6 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 |
$71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$96,309±$12kHighest 29% above 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 |
$208,000±$41kLowest 30% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$240,000±$37k 19% 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±$1kHighest 8% above ME |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
— |
| Palermo and Waldo 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 |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,535 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Waldo 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% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 24% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
30 min 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±4.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo and Waldo 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 | Waldo-Region 7 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.