Compare towns
Appleton vs Ludlow vs Mapleton vs New Vineyard
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).
Ludlow has the most affordable homes ($134k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
New Vineyard has the most people working from home (16.7%).
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 | Ludlow | Mapleton | New Vineyard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
444Lowest |
1,884Highest |
607 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
46.1±5.8 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
47.5±9.5 6% above ME |
| Appleton and New Vineyard 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% |
22.7%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.5%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| New Vineyard and Ludlow 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% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
27%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| New Vineyard 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% ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 |
$62,500±$21k 16% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$61,806±$19k 17% below ME |
| Mapleton and Ludlow 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 |
$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$190,000±$76k 36% below ME |
| Appleton and Mapleton 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 |
$988±$111 13% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$925±$490 19% below ME |
| Appleton and Ludlow 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 |
$1,655Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,136 30% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±5.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and New Vineyard 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% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
22.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
90.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.7%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| New Vineyard 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 | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| 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.