Compare towns
Wells River vs Appleton vs Ryegate
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 people working from home (11.1%).
Ryegate has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Ryegate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 340Lowest |
1,360Highest |
1,059 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.7±12.7 10% above U.S. |
49.2±7.4Highest 26% above U.S. |
41.2±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Appleton and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±6.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ryegate and Wells River 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% |
22.1%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Appleton and Ryegate 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Appleton and Ryegate 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. |
$66,484±$15kHighest 18% below U.S. |
| Ryegate 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±$33kHighest 29% below U.S. |
$219,300±$32k 34% below U.S. |
| Appleton and Ryegate 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. |
$908±$236 36% below U.S. |
| Appleton and Ryegate 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. |
$3,588 15% above U.S. |
$3,472Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±14.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±29.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Ryegate 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% |
14.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1949 31 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.2%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.2%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Appleton and Ryegate 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 |
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.