Compare towns
Appleton vs Smithfield vs Chapman
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 renters (17.4% rent).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (22%).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
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 | Smithfield | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Highest |
856 |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
45.7±11.4Lowest about the ME average |
| Smithfield 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% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Smithfield and Chapman 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% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman 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 |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$93,125±$17k 25% above ME |
| Smithfield and Chapman 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 |
$242,800±$15kHighest 18% below ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
| Smithfield and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,109±$358Highest about the ME average |
— |
| Smithfield 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 |
$2,866 6% below ME |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Smithfield 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.9% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | — |
| High school 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.