Town · Maine
Appleton, Maine
Appleton, town, in Knox County, Maine. Appleton had 1,469 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,411 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,360 (±229). GEOID 2301301465.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,469
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,411 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,360 ±229
Median household income
$53,618
±$19,015 (90% margin)
Maine: $74,733
Median home value
$235,600
±$32,923 (90% margin)
Maine: $296,600
Median gross rent
$1,104
±$82 (90% margin)
Maine: $1,139
Where is Appleton and what county is it in?
Appleton is a town in Knox County, Maine. It covers 32.7 square miles of land, 43 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Appleton, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,469 people lived in Appleton on July 1, 2025, up 3.9% since 2020, in line with Maine (+3.8%). The 2020 Census counted 1,411 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,360 (±229).
| Measure | Appleton | Knox County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,360±229 | 41,003 | no clear change |
| Households | 665±143 | 18,484 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.05±0.26 | 2.12 | −0.65 |
| Housing units | 756±150 | 24,564 | no clear change |
Appleton's population since 2000
From 1,271 in 2000 to 1,469 in 2025: up 15.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Appleton as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Appleton?
The median resident of Appleton is 49.2 years old; 15.3% are under 18 and 26.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.8%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 4.2%. 3.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Appleton | Knox County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 | 49.5 | +9.1 |
| Under 18 years | 15.3%±3.5 pts | 16.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 26.1%±8.0 pts | 27.9% | – |
| Male | 46.6%±7.2 pts | 50.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.2%±1.4 pts | 1.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.8%±3.0 pts | 93.2% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.2%±0.4 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.4%±0.7 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±2.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.2%±2.6 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±2.0 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.9%±2.5 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.9%±2.8 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 11.4%±3.8 pts | 8.7% | – |
| With a disability | 15.2%±7.0 pts | 13.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.9%±4.2 pts | 5.5% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.2%±1.8 pts | 94.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 34.1%±8.6 pts | 39.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 10.2%±3.4 pts | 15.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.8%±3.2 pts | 90.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.7%±2.6 pts | 3.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Appleton earn?
Half of Appleton's 665 households earn less than $53,618 a year (±$19,015), against $74,096 in Knox County and $74,733 in Maine. In 2015-2019 it was $70,338 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Appleton | Knox County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $53,618±$19,015 | $74,096 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $75,720±$15,351 | $99,101 | – |
| Per capita income | $37,019±$5,372 | $44,763 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 9.7%±6.8 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 3.9%±3.9 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 13.5%±12.6 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 85.1%±12.7 pts | 94.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 81.7%±12.8 pts | 90.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Appleton?
Owners occupy 82.6% of Appleton's occupied homes and renters 17.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $235,600 by its owner (±$32,923). The median renter pays $1,104 a month including utilities, and 85.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Appleton | Knox County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $235,600±$32,923 | $324,900 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,104±$82 | $1,165 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 85.4%±34.1 pts | 36.3% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,547±$284 | $1,691 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 82.6%±10.6 pts | 78.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 17.4%±10.6 pts | 21.3% | – |
| Housing units | 756±150 | 24,564 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±4.9 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±20.9 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 88.2%±6.7 pts | 79.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 6.5%±3.1 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.5%±1.5 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.3%±5.0 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 24.5%±12.1 pts | 32.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 14.0%±12.7 pts | 5.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Appleton building?
Builders took permits for 20 new housing units in Appleton in 2025 (18 in single-family houses), 13.6 per 1,000 residents against 4.9 across Maine.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Appleton work and get to work?
73.7% of Appleton's workers drive alone and 11.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 30.2 minutes.
| Measure | Appleton | Knox County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 59.5%±8.3 pts | 58.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.8%±1.4 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 73.7%±7.5 pts | 68.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 13.2%±7.1 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±3.9 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 0.9%±0.9 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 11.1%±4.0 pts | 16.6% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 30.2 min±2.9 | 19.6 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Appleton?
1 census tract lies mostly in Appleton (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9703.01Knox County | 3,108 | $75,673 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Appleton) · Census block assignment files
How does Appleton compare with other places in Maine?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Appleton is the 6,073rd-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 194th-most populous of 454 in Maine.
Appleton ranks 305th of 349 places in Maine with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 194th | 454 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 125th | 273 |
| Residents per square mile | 296th | 353 |
| Median household income | 305th | 349 |
| Per capita income | 212th | 353 |
| Median home value | 212th | 352 |
| Median gross rent | 127th | 301 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 141st | 352 |
| Median age | 131st | 353 |
| Owner-occupied share | 159th | 353 |
| Work from home | 202nd | 275 |
| Travel time to work | 85th | 352 |
Appleton's figures with every place in Maine (CSV)
Every place in Maine, sortable · Compare Appleton with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Appleton?
18 of the 57 figures for Appleton on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Appleton are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.