Compare towns
Appleton vs Liberty vs Mapleton vs Stoneham
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 expensive homes ($236k median).
Liberty has the youngest population (median age 40.5).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Stoneham has the most people working from home (40.7%).
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 | Liberty | Mapleton | Stoneham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
969 |
1,884Highest |
271Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
40.5±6.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
60.6±7.1Highest 35% above ME |
| Stoneham and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.9%±7.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Liberty 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% |
21.8%±2.8 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
41%±17.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Stoneham 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
37.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
14.8%±13.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Stoneham and Mapleton 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 |
$71,146±$15k 5% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,750±$27k 15% below ME |
| Mapleton and Liberty 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 |
$229,600±$31k 23% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$226,200±$32k 24% below ME |
| Appleton and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,125±$383Highest about the ME average |
| Stoneham 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 |
$2,434 20% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,426Lowest 53% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Stoneham 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% |
14.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
14.4%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
40.7%±15.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | None 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.