Compare towns
Cushing vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cushing has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 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 | Cushing | Mapleton | Appleton | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,460 |
1,884 |
1,360Lowest |
2,769Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
| Thomaston and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Thomaston and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest 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 | $83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$56,435±$13k 24% below ME |
| Mapleton and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$271,700±$10k 8% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,262±$343 11% above ME |
| Cushing and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944 30% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 5% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing 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 | — | — | — | #99 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 13 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None 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.