Compare towns

Roxbury vs Appleton vs Crystal

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Roxbury has the most affordable homes ($106k median).
Appleton has the most people working from home (11.1%).
Crystal has the most kids (16.2% 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.

MeasureRoxburyAppletonCrystal
People
Population
352
1,360Highest
247Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+7.2%
ME: +2.6%
—
Median age
59.8±3.4
33% above ME
49.2±7.4Lowest
10% above ME
63.2±8.4Highest
41% above ME
Crystal and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
6%±6.7Lowest
ME: 18.1%
15.3%±2.7
ME: 18.1%
16.2%±11.8Highest
ME: 18.1%
Crystal and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
25.6%±10.8Lowest
ME: 22.4%
26.1%±9.3
ME: 22.4%
49%±5.3Highest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
15.5%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
34.1%Highest
ME: 36.2%
22.9%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0.6%±3.2
ME: 5.8%
3.7%±2.4Highest
ME: 5.8%
0%±6.3Lowest
ME: 5.8%
Appleton and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$51,667±$34k
31% below ME
$53,618±$19kHighest
28% below ME
$48,125±$13kLowest
36% below ME
Appleton and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$105,800±$48kLowest
64% below ME
$235,600±$33kHighest
21% below ME
$129,200±$60k
56% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$1,104±$82Lowest
3% below ME
$1,563±$922Highest
37% above ME
Crystal and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$850Lowest
72% below ME
$3,588Highest
18% above ME
$943
69% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent —
85.4%±100Highest
ME: 48.4%
14.3%±100Lowest
ME: 48.4%
Appleton and Crystal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
13.4%
ME: 10.7%
9.7%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
14.7%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
94.5%Highest
ME: 74.3%
82.6%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
92.8%
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1969Lowest
8 yrs older than ME
1988Highest
11 yrs newer than ME
1974
3 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
16% above ME
30 minHighest
23% above ME
27 minLowest
10% above ME
Work from home
5.2%±5.7
ME: 15.9%
11.1%±3.5Highest
ME: 15.9%
0%±15.1Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Appleton and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district — Appleton Public Schools —
High school in town — None in town —
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.