Compare towns

Wells River vs Appleton vs Whiting vs North Troy

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%).
Whiting has the highest household income ($91k).
North Troy has the most people working from home (17.6%).

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.

MeasureWells RiverAppletonWhitingNorth Troy
People
Population
340Lowest
1,360Highest
532
506
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+7.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
+1.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
42.7±12.7
10% above U.S.
49.2±7.4Highest
26% above U.S.
39.6±2.7
about the U.S. average
34.1±4.4Lowest
12% below 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%
23.5%±6.9
U.S.: 22%
31.6%±9.2Highest
U.S.: 22%
North Troy and Whiting 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%
16%±6
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%
16.6%
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%
2.6%±3.7
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.
$50,417±$5k
38% below 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±$103k
49% below U.S.
$235,600±$33k
29% below U.S.
$280,400±$36kHighest
16% below U.S.
$121,100±$20kLowest
64% 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±$336
36% below U.S.
$1,104±$82
22% below U.S.
$1,204±$519Highest
15% below U.S.
$597±$179Lowest
58% 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.
$3,588
15% above U.S.
$4,227Highest
36% above U.S.
$2,641Lowest
15% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
47.6%±14.8
U.S.: 51.1%
85.4%±100Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
58.3%±37.3
U.S.: 51.1%
37.3%±30.7Lowest
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%
21.5%
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%
63.8%
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.
1957
23 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
34 min
27% above U.S.
30 min
14% above U.S.
22 minLowest
17% below U.S.
50 minHighest
90% above U.S.
Work from home
5.2%±9.3Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
11.1%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
10%±5.4
U.S.: 15.1%
17.6%±8.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
North Troy 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 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 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.