Compare towns
Appleton vs Mapleton vs Eliot
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 homeowners (82.6%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
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 | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,884 |
7,146Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
| Eliot 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% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Eliot 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% |
27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Eliot 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
43.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±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 |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
| Eliot and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Eliot 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 | — | — | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| 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 |
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.