Compare towns
Liberty vs Mapleton vs Phippsburg vs Appleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Liberty has the most people working from home (14.4%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Phippsburg has the most expensive homes ($336k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
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 | Liberty | Mapleton | Phippsburg | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 969Lowest |
1,884 |
2,238Highest |
1,360 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±6.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
54.3±6.3Highest 21% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
| Phippsburg and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±2.8 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
34.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Phippsburg and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
37.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 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 | $71,146±$15k 5% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
| Phippsburg and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $229,600±$31k 23% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$335,800±$47kHighest 13% above ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,022±$346 10% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
| Appleton and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,434 20% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,034 33% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
35.5%±98.7 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 56% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.4%±8.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Liberty and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Appleton Public Schools |
| 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.