Compare towns
Appleton vs Chapman vs Temple vs Penobscot
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).
Temple has the youngest population (median age 34).
Penobscot has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Temple | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Highest |
388Lowest |
824 |
1,154 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -0.2% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
34±14Lowest 24% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Penobscot 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%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
32.8%±7.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Temple and Chapman 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%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
15%±6.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot 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% ME: 36.2% |
13.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest 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 |
$56,087±$2k 25% below ME |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
| Chapman and Penobscot 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 |
$210,200±$79k 29% below ME |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
| Penobscot 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 |
— | $1,458±$565Highest 28% above ME |
$1,141±$33 about the ME average |
| Temple and Penobscot 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 |
$2,367 22% below ME |
$1,852 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.3%±70.5 ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Penobscot 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% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.7% ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±8.4 ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot 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 | — | — | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school 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.