Compare towns
Appleton vs Gardiner vs Chapman
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 oldest population (median age 49.2).
Gardiner has the most people working from home (13.9%).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
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 | Gardiner | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
6,088Highest |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
42±3.6Lowest 6% below ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
| 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% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest 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% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman and Gardiner 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 |
$71,782±$10k 4% below ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
| Chapman and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$221,600±$19k 25% below ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
| Appleton and Gardiner 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 |
$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
— |
| Gardiner and Appleton 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 |
$2,742 10% below ME |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Gardiner 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% |
10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gardiner and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #36 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardiner Area High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8 |
— |
| 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.