Compare towns
Anson vs Appleton vs Embden vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Anson has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Embden has the most people working from home (18.7%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Anson | Appleton | Embden | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,331Highest |
1,360 |
995Lowest |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±6.2 4% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
60.6±5.1Highest 35% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
| Embden and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
34.6%±9.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Embden and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 11.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
16.2% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,474±$21kLowest 30% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$56,875±$23k 24% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
| Mapleton and Embden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $117,800±$14kLowest 60% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$173,400±$59k 42% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
| Appleton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $928±$62 19% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
— | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,572Lowest 48% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,804 41% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.6%±23.9 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
12.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
96.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 5 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 32% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
33 minHighest 34% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 3%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.7%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Embden and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | Carrabec High School | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | — | — |
| 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.