Compare towns
Starks vs Appleton vs Bowdoin vs Bridgewater
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Starks has the most homeowners (90%).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Bowdoin has the highest household income ($91k).
Bridgewater has the shortest commute (22 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 | Starks | Appleton | Bowdoin | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 556 |
1,360 |
3,188Highest |
484Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
44.3±10Lowest about the ME average |
48.8±8 9% above ME |
| Appleton and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bridgewater and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
18.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$65,417±$15k 12% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$154,900±$78k 48% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
— | $768±$116Lowest 33% below ME |
| Appleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
$1,417 53% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.9%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
22 minLowest 10% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±5.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Bowdoin and Appleton 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 | — | — | #28 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — |
| High school 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.