The Town FilesAppleton, Maine
Town in Knox County · population 1,411 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $235,600
- Household income
- $53,618
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 70 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 49.2
Appleton is a town of 1,411 people in Knox County, Maine. The median home is worth $235,600, close to the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks better for families than 98% of Maine towns, better for a vacation home than 91% of Maine towns, more of a college town than 84% of Maine towns.
How Appleton ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Appleton is worth $235,600, close to the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 4.4 times the median household income of $53,618, which is more affordable than 21% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,104 a month. 82.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Appleton | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $235,600 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $1,104 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $53,618 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.4× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 82.6% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 9.4% | — |
Who lives in Appleton
| People | Appleton | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.2 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.1% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 15.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.1% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.7% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 11.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.9% | — |
| Work from home | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 30.2 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.7% | 90.0% |
Weather in Appleton
July highs average 76.7°F and January lows 12.0°F. About 56.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 70.4 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Appleton since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. The strongest, an F1, struck on September 14, 1956 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 14, 1956.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 5 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 18, 1996.
Severe weather in Knox County since 1996
Knox County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4764: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| July 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4719: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| March 22, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4696: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| March 15, 2022 | Coastal Storm | DR-4647: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Knox County
Knox County had 16,874 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,720 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Appleton itself the ACS puts it at 1.8%.
Public schools in Appleton
1 public school with 135 students, about 7.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appleton Village School | PK-8 | 135 | 7.9 |
Towns near Appleton
- Union, ME4.8 mi · 2,383 people · home $267,600
- Hope, ME5.6 mi · 1,698 people · home $373,400
- Liberty, ME5.9 mi · 934 people · home $229,600
- Searsmont, ME6.4 mi · 1,400 people · home $284,000
- Washington, ME6.5 mi · 1,592 people · home $195,200
- Montville, ME9.4 mi · 1,020 people · home $221,600
- Belmont, ME9.7 mi · 976 people · home $217,500
- Lincolnville, ME10.1 mi · 2,312 people · home $367,000
Appleton questions
Is Appleton, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Appleton scores better for retirees than 74% of Maine towns and quieter than 33%. 26.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.2).
How much does a house cost in Appleton?
The median owner-occupied home in Appleton is valued at $235,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,618, so homes cost about 4.4 times income. Median rent is $1,104 a month.
What is the weather like in Appleton?
July highs average 76.7°F and January lows 12.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.2 inches of precipitation a year and 70.4 inches of snow.
Does Appleton get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Appleton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on September 14, 1956. The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)