What stands out worked out from the figures below

Waterboro has the highest household income ($89k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Waterboro	Appleton
People
Population	8,055Highest	1,360Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	42±3.1Lowest 6% below ME	49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME
	Appleton and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.5%±4Highest ME: 18.1%	15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
Age 65+	14.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4%	26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4%
	Appleton and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.2%Lowest ME: 36.2%	34.1%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.7%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8%	3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Waterboro and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$89,392±$16kHighest 20% above ME	$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$297,000±$23kHighest about the ME average	$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,200±$461Highest 5% above ME	$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME
	Waterboro and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,772Lowest 9% below ME	$3,588Highest 18% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.2%±12.5Lowest ME: 48.4%	85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4%
	Appleton and Waterboro 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%	9.7%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest ME: 74.3%	82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 42% above ME	30 minLowest 23% above ME
Work from home	10%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9%	11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9%
	Appleton and Waterboro 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	#80 of 133 in ME	—
School district	RSU 57/MSAD 57	Appleton Public Schools
High school in town	Massabesic High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	13.5	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.