Compare towns
Appleton vs Chapman vs Milbridge
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 renters (17.4% rent).
Chapman has the highest household income ($93k).
Milbridge has the most people working from home (18.9%).
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 | Milbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Highest |
388Lowest |
1,222 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | +1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
45.7±11.4Lowest about the ME average |
50.3±6.2Highest 12% above ME |
| Milbridge and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±4.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Milbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
30.2%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Milbridge and Chapman 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% |
24.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±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 |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
$60,536±$16k 19% below ME |
| Chapman and Milbridge 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 |
$240,400±$31kHighest 19% below ME |
| Milbridge 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 |
— | $619±$186Lowest 46% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,022 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.8%±22.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Milbridge 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
18 minLowest 26% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.9%±6.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Milbridge and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 37/MSAD 37 |
| High school in town | None 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.