Compare towns
Athens vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Starks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athens has the most homeowners (94.6%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k 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 | Athens | Mapleton | Appleton | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 791 |
1,884Highest |
1,360 |
556Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.7±7.2 6% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
| Appleton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest 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 | $50,750±$14kLowest 32% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
| Mapleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $153,100±$33k 48% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% 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 | $538±$457Lowest 53% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
| Appleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,355 55% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Athens and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 23.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
19.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.1%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest 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 | Athens Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton 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.