Compare towns
Topsfield vs Appleton vs Roxbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
Bordering TopsfieldTalmadge
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsfield has the oldest population (median age 63.5).
Appleton has the most people working from home (11.1%).
Roxbury has the most affordable homes ($106k 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 | Topsfield | Appleton | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 214Lowest |
1,360Highest |
352 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 63.5±4.9Highest 42% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
59.8±3.4 33% above ME |
| Topsfield and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±10.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
6%±6.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Appleton and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 44.9%±12.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±10.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsfield and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±5.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±3.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $48,125±$16kLowest 36% below ME |
$53,618±$19kHighest 28% below ME |
$51,667±$34k 31% below ME |
| Appleton and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $141,700±$32k 52% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$105,800±$48kLowest 64% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $957 68% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$850Lowest 72% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
— |
| Below poverty line | 13.1% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
29 minLowest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 5.1%±6.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.2%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | East Range CSD | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school 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.