Compare towns
Hermon vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Carmel
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Carmel has the most homeowners (87.9%).
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 | Hermon | Mapleton | Appleton | Carmel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,727Highest |
1,884 |
1,360Lowest |
2,941 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±4.7Lowest 8% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
46.4±4.5 4% above ME |
| Appleton and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$82,188±$22k 10% above ME |
| Hermon and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,600±$32kHighest 12% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$256,800±$37k 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,276±$187 12% above ME |
| Hermon and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,761 9% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,662 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.2%±19.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1996 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 8% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 8.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #54 of 133 in ME | — | — | #77 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 87/MSAD 23 |
| High school in town | Hermon High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
— | — | — |
| 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.