Compare towns
Wells River vs Appleton vs Whiting
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 affordable homes ($171k median).
Appleton has the most homeowners (82.6%).
Whiting has the highest household income ($91k).
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 | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 340Lowest |
1,360Highest |
532 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.7±12.7 10% above U.S. |
49.2±7.4Highest 26% above U.S. |
39.6±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
| 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% |
23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Whiting and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±9.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Appleton and Wells River 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% |
25.9% 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% |
6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whiting 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. |
$91,250±$38kHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Whiting 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. |
$280,400±$36kHighest 16% below U.S. |
| Whiting 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±$82 22% below U.S. |
$1,204±$519Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,154 33% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$4,227Highest 36% 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% |
58.3%±37.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Whiting 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% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.2%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Appleton and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| 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.