Compare towns
Appleton vs Mapleton vs Pittston 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 people working from home (11.1%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Pittston has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Wade has the most affordable homes ($157k median).
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 | Wade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,884 |
3,093Highest |
244Lowest |
| 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 |
41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
| Wade 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% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±6.7 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% |
34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wade 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.2% 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% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest 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±$19k 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$86,614±$18k 16% above ME |
$41,818±$25kLowest 44% 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 |
$157,100±$109kLowest 47% 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±$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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,909 37% below ME |
$1,655Lowest 45% 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% |
0%±100Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1983 6 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 |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
34 minHighest 37% above 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% |
10.1%±6.8 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.