Compare towns
Appleton vs Bangor vs Mapleton vs Newburgh
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%).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Newburgh has the most expensive homes ($245k 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 | Bangor | Mapleton | Newburgh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
31,938Highest |
1,884 |
1,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
45.8±5.7 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Newburgh 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% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Newburgh 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% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Newburgh 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% |
35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
29.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
| Mapleton and Newburgh 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 |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$244,600±$20kHighest 18% below ME |
| Newburgh and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$950±$219 17% below ME |
| Appleton and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,748 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Bangor 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% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
81.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Mapleton 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 | — | #37 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Bangor High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.3 |
— | — |
| 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.