Compare towns
Thorndike vs Appleton vs Knox
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Knox has the most affordable homes ($160k median).
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 | Thorndike | Appleton | Knox |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,403Highest |
1,360 |
825Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.1±7.9 8% below ME |
| Appleton and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Knox and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
| Thorndike and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
| Appleton and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,537 16% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
80.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 46% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
30 minLowest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Mt View High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7 |
— | — |
| 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.