Compare towns
Auburn vs Appleton vs Mapleton vs Bangor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the most expensive homes ($282k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Bangor has the shortest commute (17 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 | Auburn | Appleton | Mapleton | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,602 |
1,360Lowest |
1,884 |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
| Appleton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.3 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
| Mapleton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,000±$12kHighest 5% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74 9% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
| Appleton and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,687Highest 21% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.8% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 12% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Auburn and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #110 of 133 in ME | — | — | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | None in town | None in town | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
— | — | 13.3Highest |
| 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.