Compare towns
Strong vs Limerick vs Appleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Strong has the most affordable homes ($184k median).
Limerick has the highest household income ($101k).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
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 | Strong | Limerick | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,249Lowest |
3,400Highest |
1,360 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
40.4±9.2Lowest 10% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
| Appleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Strong and Limerick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Limerick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$101,172±$15kHighest 35% above ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$269,400±$29kHighest 9% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
| Limerick and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,758±$407Highest 54% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$2,520 17% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Limerick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
38 minHighest 53% above ME |
30 minLowest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.2%±6.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Limerick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | — | Appleton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.