Compare towns
Appleton vs Auburn vs Greene vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Auburn has the most renters (40.9% rent).
Greene has the highest household income ($98k).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
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 | Appleton | Auburn | Greene | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
24,602Highest |
4,417 |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.4% ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
39.7±4.9Lowest 11% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
| Appleton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±2.3 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Greene and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±2 ME: 22.4% |
15.1%±4.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
27.8% ME: 36.2% |
22.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
$98,093±$16kHighest 31% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
| Greene and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$282,000±$12kHighest 5% below ME |
$270,000±$23k 9% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Auburn and Greene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,041±$74 9% below ME |
$1,194±$224Highest 5% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Greene and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$3,687Highest 21% above ME |
$2,965 about the ME average |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.4%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
54.8%±20.2 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Greene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
59.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
22 minLowest 12% below ME |
26 min 4% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.5%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Greene and Auburn 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 | — | #110 of 133 in ME | #69 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Auburn Public Schools | RSU 52/MSAD 52 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | None in town | Edward Little High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → | 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.