Compare towns
Sullivan vs Appleton vs Bowdoin vs Franklin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sullivan has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Bowdoin has the highest household income ($91k).
Franklin has the most renters (23.2% rent).
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 | Sullivan | Appleton | Bowdoin | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,246Lowest |
1,360 |
3,188Highest |
1,628 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.1±15 5% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
44.3±10Lowest about the ME average |
46±9.3 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
28.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Sullivan and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,643±$14k 20% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,000±$33kLowest 25% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $883±$114Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
— | $888±$306 22% below ME |
| Appleton and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,228Lowest 27% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
$2,231 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.9%±23.6 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.6% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
76.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 7% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.6%±7.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Sullivan and Franklin 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 | RSU 24 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — |
| High school in town | Sumner Memorial High School | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5 |
— | — | — |
| 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.