Compare towns
Steep Falls vs Appleton vs Porter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Steep Falls has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Porter has the most people working from home (15.5%).
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 | Steep Falls | Appleton | Porter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,861Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,746 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
40.9±7.9Lowest 9% below ME |
| Appleton and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,280±$33kHighest 7% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$60,417±$9k 19% below ME |
| Steep Falls and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,400±$31kHighest 18% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$226,100±$20kLowest 24% below ME |
| Steep Falls and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
— |
| Steep Falls and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,273 8% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,841Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±36.1 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
43.9%±8.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 25% above ME |
30 minLowest 23% above ME |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.5%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Porter 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 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.