Compare towns
West Paris vs Appleton vs Sullivan
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Paris has the most people working from home (23.8%).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Sullivan has the most kids (18% 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 | West Paris | Appleton | Sullivan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,808Highest |
1,360 |
1,246Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46±7.9Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
47.1±15 5% above ME |
| Appleton and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
18%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sullivan and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Sullivan and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,324±$5k 25% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$59,643±$14kHighest 20% below ME |
| Sullivan and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $193,000±$20kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$222,000±$33k 25% below ME |
| Appleton and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $838±$333Lowest 26% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$883±$114 22% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,083Lowest 31% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,228 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.5%±34.6 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
34.9%±23.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 24.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 32% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 23.8%±18.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±7.9 ME: 15.9% |
| West Paris and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 24 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Sumner Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.5 |
| 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.