Compare towns
Topsfield vs Appleton vs Talmadge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsfield has the oldest population (median age 63.5).
Appleton has the most renters (17.4% rent).
Talmadge has the most people working from home (25.8%).
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 | Talmadge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 214 |
1,360Highest |
67Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 63.5±4.9Highest 42% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.1±12.3Lowest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±10.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.9%±41Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Talmadge and Appleton 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% |
16.4%±47.1Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
3.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±5.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±23.2Lowest 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±$19k 28% below ME |
$85,577±$39kHighest 15% above ME |
| Talmadge and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $141,700±$32kLowest 52% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
— |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $957Lowest 68% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,100 64% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
— |
| Below poverty line | 13.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
100%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
30 minLowest 23% above ME |
— |
| Work from home | 5.1%±6.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
25.8%±13.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Talmadge and Appleton 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.