Compare towns
Appleton vs Mapleton vs Orient vs Pittston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Orient has the most people working from home (81%).
Pittston has the youngest population (median age 41.4).
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 | Orient | Pittston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,884 |
137Lowest |
3,093Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
62±9Highest 38% above ME |
41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Orient 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% |
16.8%±18.9 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Pittston 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% |
46%±10.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
0%±11.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston and Mapleton 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±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
— | $86,614±$18k 16% above ME |
| Mapleton and Pittston 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 |
$548,600±$183kHighest 85% above ME |
$238,700±$66k 20% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— | $1,080±$593 5% below ME |
| Appleton and Pittston 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 |
— | $1,909 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Orient and Appleton 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% |
35.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1986 9 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 |
— | 26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
81%±44Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | — | #123 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| 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.