Compare towns
Warren vs Strong vs Appleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Warren has the highest household income ($75k).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
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 | Warren | Strong | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,932Highest |
1,249Lowest |
1,360 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2Lowest 6% below ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
| Appleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Strong and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Warren and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,616±$21kHighest about the ME average |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
| Warren and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,700±$32k 22% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
| Appleton and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$456Highest about the ME average |
$920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
| Warren and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,832 7% below ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.1%±29.8 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 8% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.6%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Warren 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 | #120 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | Appleton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.