Compare towns
Appleton vs Liberty vs Mapleton vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Liberty has the most homeowners (84.1%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Waterville has the most renters (51.2% rent).
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 | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
969Lowest |
1,884 |
17,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
40.5±6.8 10% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Appleton and Mapleton 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% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest 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%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±2.8 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Liberty 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% |
43.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest 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% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$71,146±$15k 5% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% 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±$23k 35% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% 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±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
| Appleton and Waterville 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,755 9% 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% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Waterville 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% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below 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% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Liberty 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 | — | — | — | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.8 |
| 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.