Compare towns
Appleton vs Mapleton vs Springfield
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).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($123k 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 | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,884Highest |
310Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
52.4±7Highest 17% above ME |
| Springfield 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% |
18.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Springfield 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%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.6%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Springfield 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% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±3.7Lowest 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 |
$60,833±$23k 19% below ME |
| Mapleton and Springfield 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±$23k 35% below ME |
$122,500±$28kLowest 59% below ME |
| Appleton and Mapleton 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 |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,067Lowest 65% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
— |
| Appleton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
96.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 min 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.6%±5.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Mapleton 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 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.