Compare towns
Sebec vs Appleton vs Dover-Foxcroft vs Whiting
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sebec has the highest household income ($75k).
Appleton has the most expensive homes ($236k median).
Dover-Foxcroft has the shortest commute (15 min average).
Whiting has the oldest population (median age 50).
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 | Sebec | Appleton | Dover-Foxcroft | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 547 |
1,360 |
4,506Highest |
506Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 49.3±7.6 10% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
38±4.1Lowest 15% below ME |
50±5Highest 12% above ME |
| Whiting and Sebec are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.2%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
17.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Sebec and Dover-Foxcroft are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±6.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Whiting and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32% ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
28.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±3.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±0.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Sebec and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,545±$37kHighest about the ME average |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$63,344±$6k 15% below ME |
$55,263±$2k 26% below ME |
| Sebec and Dover-Foxcroft are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $233,000±$40k 21% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$162,600±$12kLowest 45% below ME |
$214,200±$52k 28% below ME |
| Appleton and Sebec are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$880±$97 23% below ME |
$600±$333Lowest 47% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,810 40% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,916 37% below ME |
$1,728Lowest 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Dover-Foxcroft are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
15.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
67%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
15 minLowest 40% below ME |
22 min 10% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.2%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±6 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sebec and Dover-Foxcroft 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 | — | — | #89 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 68/MSAD 68 | Whiting Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.