Compare towns
Wade vs Appleton vs Mount Chase vs Lowell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wade has the most renters (21.7% rent).
Appleton has the most expensive homes ($236k median).
Mount Chase has the most people working from home (22.2%).
Lowell has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Wade | Appleton | Mount Chase | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 244Lowest |
1,360Highest |
280 |
378 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 53.6±18.5 20% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
49.9±10.9 11% above ME |
55.5±8.6Highest 24% above ME |
| Lowell and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±6.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.1%±10.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.2%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mount Chase and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
28.9%±6.3 ME: 22.4% |
31.2%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Wade and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.2% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
30%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±5.7 ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $41,818±$25k 44% below ME |
$53,618±$19kHighest 28% below ME |
$41,711±$7kLowest 44% below ME |
$50,833±$31k 32% below ME |
| Appleton and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $157,100±$109k 47% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$115,700±$15kLowest 61% below ME |
$209,700±$30k 29% below ME |
| Appleton and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,281±$1kHighest 12% above ME |
— |
| Mount Chase and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,655 45% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,548 49% below ME |
$1,478Lowest 51% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
28.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
30.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
31 min 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±6.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±12.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Chase and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | — | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | — |
| 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.