Compare towns
Appleton vs Mapleton vs Mount Chase vs Wade
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).
Mount Chase has the most people working from home (22.2%).
Wade has the oldest population (median age 53.6).
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 | Mount Chase | Wade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,884Highest |
280 |
244Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.9±10.9 11% above ME |
53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
| Wade and Mount Chase 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% |
22.1%±10.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±6.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Mount Chase 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% |
28.9%±6.3 ME: 22.4% |
34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wade and Mount Chase 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±5.7 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest 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 |
$41,711±$7kLowest 44% below ME |
$41,818±$25k 44% below ME |
| Mapleton and Appleton 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 |
$115,700±$15kLowest 61% below ME |
$157,100±$109k 47% 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±$82 3% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,281±$1kHighest 12% above ME |
— |
| Mount Chase 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 |
$1,548Lowest 49% below ME |
$1,655 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
28.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Mount Chase 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% ME: 10.7% |
30.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±12.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±6.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Chase 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.