Compare towns
Weld vs Appleton vs Northfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Weld has the most people working from home (15.6%).
Appleton has the youngest population (median age 49.2).
Northfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Weld | Appleton | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 459 |
1,360Highest |
263Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 64±6.7Highest 43% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
62.1±16.2 39% above ME |
| Weld and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
11.4%±7.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Weld and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 44.4%±12.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
39.2%±9.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Weld and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
40.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Weld are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,083±$11k 17% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$68,333±$52kHighest 9% below ME |
| Northfield and Weld are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,600±$17kHighest 9% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$198,600±$64kLowest 33% below ME |
| Weld and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,308Lowest 57% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,773 42% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
— |
| Appleton and Weld are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
20.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 21% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±8.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
3.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Weld and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.