Compare towns
Windsor vs Appleton vs Benton vs Jefferson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most homeowners (89.1%).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Benton has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Jefferson has the highest household income ($85k).
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 | Windsor | Appleton | Benton | Jefferson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,690 |
1,360Lowest |
2,770Highest |
2,647 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±8 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
42.8±6 4% below ME |
38.1±4.9Lowest 15% below ME |
| Appleton and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
28%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Jefferson and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±4.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.2% ME: 36.2% |
27.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Jefferson and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,178±$5k 15% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$61,437±$5k 18% below ME |
$85,078±$17kHighest 14% above ME |
| Jefferson and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $228,800±$22k 23% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$176,700±$23kLowest 40% below ME |
$311,600±$35kHighest 5% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,265±$400Highest 11% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,110±$123 about the ME average |
$1,120±$130 about the ME average |
| Windsor and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,160 29% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
$2,587 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.2%±31.6 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±22.9 ME: 48.4% |
29.8%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.5% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
10%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
83.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 45% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 21% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #44 of 133 in ME | — | #85 of 133 in ME | #45 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 12 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | Jefferson Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.