Compare towns
Temple vs Appleton vs Wilton
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Wilton has the most people working from home (13.1%).
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 | Wilton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 824Lowest |
1,360 |
3,862Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 34±14Lowest 24% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
46.1±6.6 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 32.8%±7.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5 ME: 18.1% |
| Temple and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15%±6.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
27%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wilton and Appleton 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% |
31.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wilton 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 |
$63,396±$23kHighest 15% below ME |
| Wilton and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,200±$79k 29% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$202,000±$30kLowest 32% below ME |
| Appleton and Temple 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±$82 3% below ME |
$446±$274Lowest 61% below ME |
| Temple and Appleton 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 |
$2,344Lowest 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.3%±70.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
52.5%±31.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Temple 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% |
14.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
28 minLowest 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.5%±8.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
13.1%±7.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wilton 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 | — | — | #121 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 09 |
| 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.