Compare towns
Poland vs Appleton vs Buxton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Poland has the most people working from home (21.9%).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Buxton has the most expensive homes ($357k median).
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 | Poland | Appleton | Buxton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,954 |
1,360Lowest |
8,512Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.2±9.4Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Poland and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,557±$23k 14% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$100,144±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
| Buxton and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $283,600±$44k 4% below ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$356,800±$21kHighest 20% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$128 5% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,774Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,422 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.6%±30.7 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Poland and Appleton 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 | #81 of 133 in ME | — | #104 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 16 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | Poland Regional H S | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | — |
| 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.