Compare towns
Avon vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Ripley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Avon has the most affordable homes ($142k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Appleton has the most expensive homes ($236k 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 | Avon | Mapleton | Appleton | Ripley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 359Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,360 |
436 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 47.1±5.1 5% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
47.7±5.3 6% above ME |
| Appleton and Ripley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.7%±4.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
19.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±6 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 | $63,125±$32k 16% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$64,821±$13k 13% below ME |
| Mapleton and Ripley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $141,700±$42kLowest 52% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$144,300±$33k 51% 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 | $465±$30Lowest 59% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$1,091±$281 4% below ME |
| Appleton and Ripley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,469 52% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 90%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±73.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Avon and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.2% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
11.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 71% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
32 min 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.2%±8.1 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±6.2Lowest 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 | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school 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.