Compare towns
Pownal vs Appleton vs Freeport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pownal has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
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 | Pownal | Appleton | Freeport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,696 |
1,360Lowest |
8,802Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.2±8.4Lowest 5% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
48.8±4.3 9% above ME |
| Appleton and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Pownal and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.5%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Freeport and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Freeport and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,333±$14k 40% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
| Freeport and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,800±$32k 47% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
| Freeport and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $981±$636Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,212Highest 72% above ME |
$3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
$5,042 66% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.9%±22.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 23.9%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Pownal and Freeport 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 | — | — | #4 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Freeport High School |
| 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.