Compare towns
Appleton vs Chapman vs Lake Arrowhead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most people working from home (11.1%).
Chapman has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Lake Arrowhead has the youngest population (median age 33).
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 | Chapman | Lake Arrowhead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
388Lowest |
3,322Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | +3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
33±2.4Lowest 26% below ME |
| Appleton and Chapman 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% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
26.9%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Lake Arrowhead 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% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
7.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman and Lake Arrowhead 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 |
$93,125±$17k 25% above ME |
$98,654±$9kHighest 32% above ME |
| Lake Arrowhead and Chapman 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 |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
$267,300±$19kHighest 10% below ME |
| Lake Arrowhead and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
— | $2,288±$327Highest 101% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,286 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
0%±36.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Chapman 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
2.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
93.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
39 minHighest 57% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±4 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Lake Arrowhead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.