Compare towns
Mapleton vs Appleton vs Arrowsic vs East Machias
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Arrowsic has the most expensive homes ($584k median).
East Machias has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Mapleton | Appleton | Arrowsic | East Machias |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,360 |
597Lowest |
1,223 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -3.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
50.3±8.7Highest 12% above ME |
42.8±2.9 4% below ME |
| Arrowsic and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.4%±7.8 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| East Machias and Arrowsic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
31.8%±11.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Arrowsic and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
64.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and East Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$99,107±$27kHighest 33% above ME |
$57,589±$10k 23% below ME |
| Arrowsic and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$584,200±$150kHighest 97% above ME |
$210,800±$23k 29% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,600±$412Highest 40% above ME |
$907±$566 20% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,521 16% above ME |
$1,836 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±40.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and East Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
16.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
95.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
20.6%±9Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.1%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Arrowsic 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 | — | East Machias 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.