Compare towns
Waldoboro vs Appleton vs Danforth vs Wiscasset
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 kids (15.6% under 18).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Wiscasset has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Wiscasset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,253Highest |
1,360 |
452Lowest |
3,874 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | +0.3%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 |
48.8±6.3Lowest 9% 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%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±6.6 ME: 18.1% |
13.8%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Waldoboro and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±5.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
28%±6.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wiscasset 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.5%Highest 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% |
2.1%±1.8 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 |
$71,118±$37kHighest 5% below ME |
| Wiscasset 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±$39k 7% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$325,200±$26kHighest 10% above ME |
| Wiscasset and Waldoboro 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 |
$1,518±$485Highest 33% above ME |
| Wiscasset 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 |
— | $3,550 17% 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% |
23.6%±15.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Wiscasset 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% |
5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.8%Highest 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 |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 3% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.4%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wiscasset 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 | — | — | #108 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | Appleton Public Schools | — | Wiscasset Public Schools |
| High school in town | Medomak Valley High School | None in town | — | Wiscasset Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | — | 7.2Lowest |
| 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.