Compare towns
Appleton vs Beals vs Mapleton vs Searsmont
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%).
Beals has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Searsmont has the most expensive homes ($284k 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 | Beals | Mapleton | Searsmont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
498Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,646 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
48±15.6 7% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
44.5±9.8 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Appleton 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% |
37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
31.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$64,063±$14k 14% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$87,000±$20k 16% above ME |
| Mapleton and Searsmont 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 |
$256,700±$45k 13% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$284,000±$31kHighest 4% below ME |
| Searsmont and Beals 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 |
$907±$378 20% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$940±$311 17% below ME |
| Appleton and Searsmont 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 |
$2,580 15% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,788 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Searsmont 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% |
10.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
83.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Beals and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Beals Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 71 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.