Compare towns
Appleton vs Mapleton vs Sweden vs Whiting
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 highest household income ($92k).
Sweden has the most expensive homes ($311k median).
Whiting has the shortest commute (22 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 | Sweden | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,884Highest |
537 |
506Lowest |
| 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 |
51.1±19.2Highest 14% above ME |
50±5 12% above ME |
| Sweden and Whiting 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% |
21.8%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Sweden 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% |
20.3%±8 ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±6.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Whiting 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.8 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 |
$73,750±$25k about the ME average |
$55,263±$2k 26% below ME |
| Mapleton and Sweden 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 |
$311,300±$61kHighest 5% above ME |
$214,200±$52k 28% below ME |
| Sweden 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±$277 46% below ME |
$1,667±$815Highest 46% above ME |
$600±$333Lowest 47% below ME |
| Sweden 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,598 14% below ME |
$1,728Lowest 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
8.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Whiting 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% |
14.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.2% ME: 74.3% |
93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
22 minLowest 10% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±2.8Lowest 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 | — | Whiting Public Schools |
| 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.