Compare towns
Thorndike vs Appleton vs Temple vs Somerville
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 the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Temple has the most homeowners (92.7%).
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
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 | Temple | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,403Highest |
1,360 |
824Lowest |
837 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
34±14 24% below ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
| Appleton and Temple 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%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
32.8%±7.2 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7 ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
15%±6.3 ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.2% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Temple 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 |
$56,087±$2k 25% below ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
| Thorndike and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $205,600±$88kLowest 31% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$210,200±$79k 29% below ME |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
| Appleton and Somerville 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 |
$1,458±$565 28% above ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
| Somerville and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,537 16% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,367Lowest 22% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36%±62.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
73.3%±70.5 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5 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 | 6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.2% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 46% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
34 min 37% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±8.4 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Appleton 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 | — | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | Mt View High School | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.