Compare towns
Appleton vs Thorndike 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 expensive homes ($236k median).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Chapman has the shortest commute (23 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 | Thorndike | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,403Highest |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Chapman 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% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Chapman 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% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$78,438±$14k 5% above ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
| Chapman and Thorndike 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 |
$205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
| Appleton and Thorndike 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 |
$836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
— |
| Appleton and Thorndike 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 |
$2,537 16% below ME |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Thorndike 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% |
6.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.2% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike 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 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt View High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7 |
— |
| 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.