Compare towns
Thomaston vs Appleton vs Lubec
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Lubec has the most people working from home (26.3%).
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 | Thomaston | Appleton | Lubec |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,769Highest |
1,360 |
1,346Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 58.1±6.6 30% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
59.3±4.5Highest 32% above ME |
| Lubec and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Thomaston and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 35.5%±8.6 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
41.2%±3.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Lubec and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
6.2%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Lubec and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,435±$13kHighest 24% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$52,375±$11kLowest 30% below ME |
| Thomaston and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,700±$10kHighest 8% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$188,700±$26kLowest 36% below ME |
| Thomaston and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,262±$343Highest 11% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$550±$204Lowest 52% below ME |
| Thomaston and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,487Highest 48% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$2,039Lowest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.5%±23.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.6%±25.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
14.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1960 17 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
26.3%±12.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Lubec 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 | #99 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 13 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 85/MSAD 19 |
| High school in town | None 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.