Compare towns
Appleton vs Mapleton vs Crystal vs Liberty
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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Crystal has the most affordable homes ($129k median).
Liberty has the most people working from home (14.4%).
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 | Crystal | Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,884Highest |
247Lowest |
969 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +2.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
63.2±8.4Highest 41% above ME |
40.5±6.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Crystal and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±11.8 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±2.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
22.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3 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±$19k 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$48,125±$13kLowest 36% below ME |
$71,146±$15k 5% 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$129,200±$60kLowest 56% below ME |
$229,600±$31k 23% 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 |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,563±$922Highest 37% above ME |
$559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
| Crystal 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$943Lowest 69% below ME |
$2,434 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
14.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Liberty 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% |
14.7% ME: 10.7% |
14.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
27 minLowest 10% above ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.4%±8.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Liberty 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 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| 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.