Compare towns
Appleton vs Belfast vs Chapman vs Liberty
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belfast has the most expensive homes ($341k median).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
Liberty has the most people working from home (14.4%).
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 | Belfast | Chapman | Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
6,986Highest |
388Lowest |
969 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4% ME: +2.6% |
— | +2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
40.5±6.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Liberty 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% |
39.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±2.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
42.9% ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman and Appleton 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 |
$67,679±$9k 9% below ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
$71,146±$15k 5% below ME |
| Chapman and Liberty 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 |
$340,900±$34kHighest 15% above ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
$229,600±$31k 23% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$962±$92 16% below ME |
— | $559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
| Appleton and Belfast 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 |
$4,145Highest 37% above ME |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,434 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Belfast 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% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
22 minLowest 13% below ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
12%±6 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.4%±8.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Liberty and Belfast 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 | — | #84 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 71 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | None in town | Belfast Area High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
— | — |
| 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.