Compare towns
Lake Arrowhead vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Buckfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lake Arrowhead has the most expensive homes ($267k median).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Buckfield 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 | Lake Arrowhead | Mapleton | Appleton | Buckfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,322Highest |
1,884 |
1,360Lowest |
2,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33±2.4Lowest 26% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
37.7±10.1 16% below ME |
| Appleton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.9%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.7%±7.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Lake Arrowhead and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 7.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Lake Arrowhead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,654±$9kHighest 32% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$77,917±$41k 4% above ME |
| Lake Arrowhead and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,300±$19kHighest 10% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$227,700±$18k 23% below ME |
| Lake Arrowhead and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,288±$327Highest 101% above ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$521±$33Lowest 54% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,286 25% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,860 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±36.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 57% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
31 min 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±12.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Buckfield and Appleton 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 | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Buckfield Jr-Sr High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.2 |
| 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.