Compare towns
Thomaston vs Appleton vs Warren
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%).
Warren has the highest household income ($75k).
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 | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,769 |
1,360Lowest |
4,932Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
42.2±2.2Lowest 6% below ME |
| Thomaston and Appleton 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% |
13.9%±5.1Lowest 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%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
12%±3.2Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Warren 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±$13k 24% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$74,616±$21kHighest about the ME average |
| Warren 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±$33k 21% below ME |
$232,700±$32kLowest 22% 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±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,125±$456 about the ME average |
| Thomaston and Warren 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 |
$2,832Lowest 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.5%±23.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
52.1%±29.8Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±9.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Warren 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 | — | #120 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 13 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| 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.