Compare towns
Waterboro vs Appleton vs Lake Arrowhead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterboro has the most expensive homes ($297k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Lake Arrowhead has the youngest population (median age 33).
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 | Waterboro | Appleton | Lake Arrowhead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,055Highest |
1,360Lowest |
3,322 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3.1 6% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
33±2.4Lowest 26% below 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%±4 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26.9%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lake Arrowhead and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.8%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
7.6%±2.7Lowest 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% |
26.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Waterboro and Lake Arrowhead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,392±$16k 20% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$98,654±$9kHighest 32% above ME |
| Lake Arrowhead and Waterboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $297,000±$23kHighest about the ME average |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$267,300±$19k 10% below ME |
| Waterboro and Lake Arrowhead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$461 5% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$2,288±$327Highest 101% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,772 9% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,286Lowest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.2%±12.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±36.7Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 42% above ME |
30 minLowest 23% above ME |
39 minHighest 57% above ME |
| Work from home | 10%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±4Lowest 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 | 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.