Compare towns
Temple vs Appleton vs Cambridge vs Wales
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Temple has the most kids (32.8% under 18).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Cambridge has the most homeowners (93.1%).
Wales has the most people working from home (22.2%).
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 | Temple | Appleton | Cambridge | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 824 |
1,360 |
532Lowest |
1,924Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 34±14Lowest 24% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
38.7±1.1 14% below ME |
35.1±4.2 22% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 32.8%±7.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±8.6 ME: 18.1% |
30.2%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Temple and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15%±6.3 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.6%±8 ME: 22.4% |
11%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
15.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±3.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wales and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,087±$2k 25% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$63,194±$39k 15% below ME |
$77,004±$5kHighest 3% above ME |
| Wales and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,200±$79kLowest 29% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$214,900±$61k 28% below ME |
$250,400±$28kHighest 16% below ME |
| Wales and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,458±$565Highest 28% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
— | $1,154±$64 about the ME average |
| Temple and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,367 22% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,574Lowest 48% below ME |
$2,578 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.3%±70.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
83.3%±37.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.2% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.1% ME: 10.7% |
25.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 37% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
41 minHighest 65% above ME |
28 minLowest 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.5%±8.4 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
1.7%±1.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±13.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wales 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 | — | RSU 04 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Oak Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.9 |
| 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.