Compare towns
Appleton vs Chapman vs Mars Hill
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 highest household income ($93k).
Mars Hill has the most renters (29.4% rent).
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 | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
388Lowest |
1,398Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
43.4±3Lowest 3% 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% |
22.9%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Mars Hill 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% |
24.5%±5.8Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman and Mars Hill 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±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$185,700±$22k 37% below ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
| Appleton and Chapman 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 |
— | $488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
$1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Mars 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 42/MSAD 42 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.0 |
| 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.