Compare towns
Appleton vs Mapleton vs Newcastle vs West Bath
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 most kids (22.2% under 18).
Newcastle has the most people working from home (20.2%).
West Bath has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | Newcastle | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,884 |
1,913Highest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.4±7 10% above ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
| West Bath and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.8%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Newcastle 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% |
24.4%±1.4 ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath 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% |
45.1% ME: 36.2% |
50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and West Bath 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 |
$89,868±$33k 20% above ME |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
| West Bath 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 |
$398,000±$41k 34% above ME |
$422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
| West Bath and Newcastle 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 |
$1,363±$81Highest 20% above ME |
$1,112±$327 about the ME average |
| Newcastle and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,256Highest 40% above ME |
$3,516 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
5.8%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and West Bath 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% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
17 minLowest 30% below ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Newcastle and West Bath 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 | — | West Bath Public Schools |
| 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.