Compare towns
Waldoboro vs Appleton vs Cushing vs Friendship
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waldoboro has the most renters (21.4% rent).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Friendship 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 | Waldoboro | Appleton | Cushing | Friendship |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,253Highest |
1,360 |
1,460 |
1,213Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.1±4.6 12% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
48.8±7.7Lowest 9% above ME |
55.5±6.9Highest 24% above ME |
| Friendship and Waldoboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Cushing and Waldoboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
37.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Friendship and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
38.4% ME: 36.2% |
39.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
0.8%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,107±$8k 8% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$83,500±$19kHighest 12% above ME |
$75,625±$22k about the ME average |
| Cushing and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,900±$39k 7% below ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$275,000±$56k 7% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $348±$153Lowest 69% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,370±$53 20% above ME |
| Cushing and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,861 6% below ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$2,218Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±15.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
37.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.6% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 3% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.9%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Friendship 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 | #55 of 133 in ME | — | — | — |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 13 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | Medomak Valley High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
— | — | — |
| 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.