Compare towns
Liberty vs Mapleton vs Starks 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 highest household income ($92k).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k 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 | Starks | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 969 |
1,884Highest |
556Lowest |
1,360 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±6.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
| Appleton and Starks 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% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest 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% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Liberty 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% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3 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±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
| Mapleton and Liberty 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±$23k 35% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
| Appleton and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
| Appleton and Starks 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% 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% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.8% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 56% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
33 min 33% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.4%±8.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Liberty and Appleton 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 | — | Appleton Public Schools |
| High school 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.