Compare towns
Appleton vs Mapleton vs Somerville vs Washington
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 expensive homes ($236k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
Washington has the most people working from home (14.6%).
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 | Somerville | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,884Highest |
837Lowest |
1,624 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
48.2±6.7 8% above ME |
| Appleton and Washington 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%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Washington 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% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Appleton 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 |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$59,861±$17k 20% below ME |
| Mapleton and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
$195,200±$36k 34% below ME |
| Appleton and Somerville 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 |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$1,036±$322 9% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
$2,286 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5 ME: 48.4% |
55.3%±62.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Somerville 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% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.6%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Washington and Appleton 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 | RSU 12 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None 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.