Compare towns
Waldoboro vs Appleton vs Danforth vs Monmouth
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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Appleton has the most homeowners (82.6%).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Monmouth has the most people working from home (23%).
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 | Danforth | Monmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,253Highest |
1,360 |
452Lowest |
4,162 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -0.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.1±4.6 12% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
51.9±5.3Highest 16% above ME |
46.2±1.5Lowest 3% above ME |
| Danforth 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%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±6.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±6.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Monmouth 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%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Waldoboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Danforth 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±$19k 28% below ME |
$42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$74,648±$18kHighest about the ME average |
| Monmouth and Waldoboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,900±$39kHighest 7% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$274,100±$21k 8% below ME |
| Waldoboro and Monmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $348±$153Lowest 69% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$629±$22 45% below ME |
$1,271±$175Highest 12% above ME |
| Monmouth and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,861Lowest 6% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
— | $3,139 3% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±15.8 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
54.6%±46.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Monmouth 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% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 3% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
23%±11Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Monmouth 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 | #55 of 133 in ME | — | — | #51 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 02 |
| High school in town | Medomak Valley High School | None in town | — | Monmouth Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | — | 10.7Lowest |
| 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.