Compare towns
Appleton vs Mapleton vs Bangor vs Strong
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%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Mapleton | Bangor | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,884 |
31,938Highest |
1,249Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
| Appleton and Strong 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Strong 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Strong 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
| Appleton and Bangor 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
| Appleton and Bangor 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
$1,950 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Bangor 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong 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 | — | — | #37 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bangor High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.3 |
— |
| 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.