Compare towns
Appleton vs Mapleton vs Pittston vs Randolph
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 people working from home (11.1%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Randolph has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Pittston | Randolph |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,884 |
3,093Highest |
1,610 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
49.6±3.4Highest 11% above ME |
| Randolph 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% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
12.7%±4.7Lowest 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% |
18.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Randolph 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% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
16.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±2.9Lowest 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 |
$66,574±$16k 11% below 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±$23k 35% below ME |
$238,700±$66kHighest 20% below ME |
$174,300±$21kLowest 41% below ME |
| Pittston and Appleton 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 |
$1,080±$593 5% below ME |
$1,186±$207Highest 4% above ME |
| Randolph 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,909 37% below ME |
$2,160 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6 ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±8.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Pittston 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% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
77.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
4.3%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Mapleton 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 | — | — | #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.