Compare towns
Searsmont vs Windham vs Appleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Searsmont has the most homeowners (90.6%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($389k median).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k 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 | Searsmont | Windham | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,646 |
19,188Highest |
1,360Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.5±9.8 about the ME average |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
| Appleton and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,000±$20k 16% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
| Windham and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,000±$31k 4% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $940±$311Lowest 17% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
| Windham and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,788Lowest 8% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.4%±41.3 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
26 min 7% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.3%±10.1 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Searsmont 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 71 | RSU 14 | Appleton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| 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.