Compare towns
West Paris vs Appleton vs Sumner vs Franklin
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%).
Sumner has the most affordable homes ($150k median).
Franklin has the highest household income ($65k).
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 | Sumner | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,808Highest |
1,360 |
845Lowest |
1,628 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46±7.9Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
46±9.3Lowest about the ME average |
| Sumner and Appleton 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% |
17.2%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Sumner and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
28.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Franklin 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 |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$65,455±$16kHighest 12% below ME |
| Franklin and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $193,000±$20k 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$245,800±$59kHighest 17% below ME |
| Franklin and Appleton 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 |
— | $888±$306 22% below ME |
| Appleton and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,083Lowest 31% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$2,231 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.5%±34.6 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Appleton 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% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 32% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
29 minLowest 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 23.8%±18.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| West Paris and Sumner 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 10 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.