Compare towns
Thomaston vs Appleton vs Rockland
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 most kids (19.2% under 18).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Rockland has the most people working from home (22.1%).
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 | Thomaston | Appleton | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,769 |
1,360Lowest |
7,035Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
49.3±6 10% above ME |
| Thomaston and Rockland 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%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Thomaston and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Thomaston and Appleton 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% ME: 36.2% |
35.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,435±$13k 24% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$56,533±$6kHighest 24% below ME |
| Rockland and Thomaston 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±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$245,800±$38k 17% below ME |
| Thomaston and Rockland 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 |
$1,092±$105Lowest 4% 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 |
$3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
$4,059 34% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.5%±23.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±15.3Lowest 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% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
62%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951 26 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1948Lowest 29 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 min 45% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
12 minLowest 50% below ME |
| Work from home | 4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #99 of 133 in ME | — | #96 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 13 | Appleton Public Schools | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Oceanside High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7 |
| 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.