Compare towns
Appleton vs Chapman 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
Appleton has the most renters (17.4% rent).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
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 | Chapman | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
388Lowest |
1,716Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | +4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
45.7±11.4Lowest about the ME average |
47.1±6.2 5% above ME |
| Appleton and Mount Vernon 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% |
20.7%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±1.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman and Mount Vernon 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% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest 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 |
$74,395±$6k about the ME average |
| Chapman 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 |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% 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 |
— | $893±$168Lowest 22% below ME |
| Appleton and Mount Vernon 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 |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,832 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Mount Vernon 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% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 38 |
| 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.