Compare towns
Sebec vs Appleton vs Milo vs Sweden
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 most people working from home (13.2%).
Milo has the most affordable homes ($97k median).
Sweden has the most expensive homes ($311k 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 | Sebec | Appleton | Milo | Sweden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 547 |
1,360 |
2,165Highest |
537Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 49.3±7.6 10% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
43.9±7Lowest about the ME average |
51.1±19.2Highest 14% above ME |
| Sweden 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% |
16.8%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±5.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±8 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Sebec 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% |
21.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±3.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±2.7Lowest 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 |
$56,875±$9k 24% below ME |
$73,750±$25k about the ME average |
| Sebec and Sweden 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±$33k 21% below ME |
$97,100±$27kLowest 67% below ME |
$311,300±$61kHighest 5% above ME |
| Sweden and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$879±$400Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,667±$815Highest 46% above ME |
| Sweden and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,810 40% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,450Lowest 52% below ME |
$2,598 14% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
8.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Milo 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% |
16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
14.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 22% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
42 minHighest 70% above ME |
31 min 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.2%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
3.2%±2.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Sebec and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 41/MSAD 41 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Penquis Valley Middle/High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.5 |
— |
| 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.