Compare towns
Appleton vs Mapleton vs Orland vs Poland
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 affordable homes ($192k median).
Orland has the most homeowners (87.5%).
Poland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.9%).
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 | Orland | Poland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,884 |
1,915 |
5,954Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
50.6±4.2Highest 13% above ME |
44.2±9.4 about the ME average |
| Orland and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Poland 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%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.8%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Orland 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.4% ME: 36.2% |
23.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Orland 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 |
$69,348±$29k 7% below ME |
$85,557±$23k 14% above ME |
| Mapleton and Poland 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 |
$277,100±$20k 7% below ME |
$283,600±$44kHighest 4% below ME |
| Poland and Orland 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 |
$1,149±$177 about the ME average |
$1,198±$128Highest 5% above ME |
| Poland and Orland 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 |
$2,089 31% below ME |
$2,774 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.8 ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Poland 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% |
7.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
40 minHighest 62% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17%±11.9 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Poland and Orland 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 | — | — | — | #81 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 16 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Poland Regional H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.2 |
| 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.