Compare towns
Prospect vs Appleton vs Bucksport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Prospect has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Bucksport has the most renters (25.7% rent).
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 | Prospect | Appleton | Bucksport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 923Lowest |
1,360 |
5,016Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.2±7.5 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
42.7±12.2Lowest 5% below ME |
| Appleton and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.9%±5.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Prospect and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
26.6%±7.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bucksport and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,250±$17kHighest 9% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$64,720±$21k 13% below ME |
| Prospect and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,500±$19kLowest 34% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$252,300±$32kHighest 15% below ME |
| Bucksport and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$61Highest about the ME average |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$882±$92Lowest 23% below ME |
| Prospect and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,979Lowest 35% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,021 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±42Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
48.9%±17 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
74.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 34% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
28 minLowest 15% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Bucksport 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 | — | — | #68 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 25 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bucksport High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
| 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.