Compare towns
Appleton vs Winthrop 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).
Winthrop has the most people working from home (23.1%).
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 | Winthrop | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
6,191Highest |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
43.6±5.3Lowest about the ME average |
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% |
22.9%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Winthrop 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% |
23.4%±5Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
40%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4Lowest 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 |
$86,470±$4k 16% above ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
| Chapman and Winthrop 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 |
$294,800±$41kHighest about the ME average |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
| Winthrop and Appleton 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 |
$892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
— |
| Appleton and Winthrop 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 |
$3,506 15% above ME |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.8%±22.4 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Winthrop 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% |
12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #12 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Winthrop Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Winthrop 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.