Compare towns
Waldoboro vs Appleton vs Nobleboro
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 the most people working from home (11.1%).
Nobleboro has the highest household income ($100k).
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 | Nobleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,253Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,906 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.1±4.6Highest 12% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
48.4±1.8Lowest 8% above ME |
| Waldoboro and Appleton 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% |
17.5%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Nobleboro and Waldoboro 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% |
27.9%±3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Nobleboro 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% |
37.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Nobleboro and Appleton 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 |
$100,417±$14kHighest 34% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,900±$39k 7% below ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$352,600±$45kHighest 19% above ME |
| Nobleboro 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±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$1,099±$231 4% below ME |
| Appleton and Nobleboro 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 |
$3,049 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±15.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±32.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Nobleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 3% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Waldoboro 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 | Nobleboro Public Schools |
| High school in town | Medomak Valley High School | 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 |
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.