Compare towns
Appleton vs Buckfield vs Mapleton vs Turner
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%).
Buckfield has the most people working from home (15.6%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Turner has the most expensive homes ($285k 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 | Buckfield | Mapleton | Turner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
2,403 |
1,884 |
5,891Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
37.7±10.1Lowest 16% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
47.6±4.3 6% above ME |
| Appleton and Turner 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% |
25.7%±7.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Buckfield and Mapleton 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% |
13.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
27.2%±6.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Turner 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% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Turner and Mapleton 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 |
$77,917±$41k 4% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$100,036±$28kHighest 34% above ME |
| Turner 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 |
$227,700±$18k 23% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$284,900±$50kHighest 4% below ME |
| Turner 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 |
$521±$33Lowest 54% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$584±$490 49% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,860 6% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,294 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
41.9%±64.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Turner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±12.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Buckfield and Appleton 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 | — | — | — | #33 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 10 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 52/MSAD 52 |
| High school in town | None in town | Buckfield Jr-Sr High School | None in town | Leavitt Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.2Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.