Compare towns
Sebec vs Appleton vs Whiting vs Dover-Foxcroft
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).
Whiting has the oldest population (median age 50).
Dover-Foxcroft has the shortest commute (15 min average).
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 | Whiting | Dover-Foxcroft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 547 |
1,360 |
506Lowest |
4,506Highest |
| 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 |
50±5Highest 12% above ME |
38±4.1Lowest 15% below 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% |
17.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
21.2%±3.9 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% |
27.5%±6.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±4.4 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% |
34.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±3.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±0.9 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 |
$55,263±$2k 26% below ME |
$63,344±$6k 15% 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 |
$214,200±$52k 28% below ME |
$162,600±$12kLowest 45% 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 |
$600±$333Lowest 47% below ME |
$880±$97 23% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,810 40% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,728Lowest 43% below ME |
$1,916 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2 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% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
93.6% ME: 74.3% |
67%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
22 min 10% below ME |
15 minLowest 40% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.2%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±6 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 | Whiting Public Schools | RSU 68/MSAD 68 |
| 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.