Compare towns
Belgrade vs Appleton vs Chapman vs Mount Vernon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belgrade has the most expensive homes ($312k median).
Appleton has the most renters (17.4% rent).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
Mount Vernon has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Belgrade | Appleton | Chapman | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,351Highest |
1,360 |
388Lowest |
1,716 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | +4.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
45.7±11.4Lowest about the ME average |
47.1±6.2 5% above ME |
| Appleton and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±6.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±1.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
$74,395±$6k about the ME average |
| Chapman and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,200±$44kHighest 5% above ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
$264,200±$23k 11% below ME |
| Belgrade and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
— | $893±$168 22% below ME |
| Appleton and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,859 6% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,832 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Vernon and Belgrade 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 | #71 of 133 in ME | — | — | — |
| School district | RSU 18 | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 38 |
| 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.