Compare towns
Turner vs Appleton vs Buckfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Turner has the highest household income ($100k).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Buckfield has the most kids (25.7% under 18).
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 | Turner | Appleton | Buckfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,891Highest |
1,360Lowest |
2,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.6±4.3 6% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
37.7±10.1Lowest 16% below ME |
| Appleton and Turner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.7%±7.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Buckfield and Turner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±6.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Turner and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Turner and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,036±$28kHighest 34% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$77,917±$41k 4% above ME |
| Turner and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,900±$50kHighest 4% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$227,700±$18kLowest 23% below ME |
| Turner and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $584±$490 49% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$521±$33Lowest 54% below ME |
| Appleton and Turner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,294Lowest 24% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,860 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±64.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Turner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 min 23% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±12.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Buckfield 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 | #33 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 52/MSAD 52 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | Leavitt Area High School | None in town | Buckfield Jr-Sr High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 10.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.