Compare towns
Appleton vs Castle Hill vs Mapleton vs Mount Vernon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castle Hill has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Mount Vernon has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Castle Hill | Mapleton | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
281Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,716 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
47.1±6.2 5% above ME |
| Castle Hill and Appleton 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% |
14.2%±5.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Mount Vernon 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% |
44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±1.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
42.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 |
$54,250±$14k 27% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$74,395±$6k about the ME average |
| Mapleton and Mount Vernon 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 |
$145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$264,200±$23kHighest 11% below ME |
| Mount Vernon 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 |
$950±$574 17% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$893±$168 22% below ME |
| Appleton and Castle Hill 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 |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,832 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
75%±100 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Castle Hill 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% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 38 |
| High school 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.