Compare towns
Industry vs Appleton vs Chapman vs Waldo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Industry has the oldest housing (typical home built 1974).
Appleton has the most expensive homes ($236k median).
Chapman has the highest household income ($93k).
Waldo has the most people working from home (15.6%).
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 | Industry | Appleton | Chapman | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 988 |
1,360Highest |
388Lowest |
926 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -15.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.6±10.7 9% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
| Appleton and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.4%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Industry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±6.6 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,056±$19k 16% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
$71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
| Chapman and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $205,600±$31k 31% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
| Appleton and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,049±$137Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
— | $1,150±$691Highest about the ME average |
| Waldo and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,793 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.9%±38.2 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 67% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | — | Waldo-Region 7 |
| 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.