Compare towns
Turner vs Appleton vs Carmel
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%).
Carmel has the most kids (18.6% 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 | Carmel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,891Highest |
1,360Lowest |
2,941 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.6±4.3 6% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
46.4±4.5Lowest 4% above 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% |
18.6%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Carmel 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% |
16.5%±5Lowest 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% |
17.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$82,188±$22k 10% above ME |
| Turner and Carmel 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±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$256,800±$37k 13% below ME |
| Turner and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $584±$490Lowest 49% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
| Carmel and Appleton 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 |
$2,662 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±64.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Carmel 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% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 10.7%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Turner 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 | — | #77 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 52/MSAD 52 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 87/MSAD 23 |
| High school in town | Leavitt Area High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | — |
| 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.