Compare towns
Wells River vs Appleton vs Newbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells River has the most renters (52.1% rent).
Appleton has the most homeowners (82.6%).
Newbury has the most people working from home (21%).
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 | Wells River | Appleton | Newbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 340Lowest |
1,360 |
2,169Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.7±12.7Lowest 10% above U.S. |
49.2±7.4 26% above U.S. |
53.9±5.4Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Newbury and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±6.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.9%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Wells River and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±9.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Appleton and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newbury and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $38,688±$5kLowest 52% below U.S. |
$53,618±$19k 34% below U.S. |
$62,316±$6kHighest 23% below U.S. |
| Newbury and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,800±$103kLowest 49% below U.S. |
$235,600±$33k 29% below U.S. |
$285,000±$24kHighest 14% below U.S. |
| Newbury and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$336Lowest 36% below U.S. |
$1,104±$82Highest 22% below U.S. |
$1,080±$123 24% below U.S. |
| Appleton and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,154Highest 33% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$3,826 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 38.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.2%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±17.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newbury 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 | Oxbow Unified Union School District #91 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.