Compare towns

Mapleton vs Appleton vs Bennington vs Castle Hill

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Bennington has the most people working from home (14.7%).
Castle Hill has the shortest commute (19 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.

MeasureMapletonAppletonBenningtonCastle Hill
People
Population
1,884Highest
1,360
1,588
281Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+1.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
41.8±6Lowest
7% above U.S.
49.2±7.4
26% above U.S.
42.1±7.8
8% above U.S.
57.8±15.8Highest
49% above U.S.
Castle Hill 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
U.S.: 22%
15.3%±2.7
U.S.: 22%
26%±5.2Highest
U.S.: 22%
14.2%±5.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Bennington and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
18.3%±3.1
U.S.: 17.2%
26.1%±9.3
U.S.: 17.2%
15.2%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
44.8%±6.5Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
34.3%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
34.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
33.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
26.7%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5%±2.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.7%±2.4
U.S.: 6.4%
2.8%±1.3
U.S.: 6.4%
2.1%±5.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
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
$91,731±$25kHighest
14% above U.S.
$53,618±$19kLowest
34% below U.S.
$83,875±$7k
4% above U.S.
$54,250±$14k
33% below U.S.
Mapleton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$191,800±$23k
42% below U.S.
$235,600±$33k
29% below U.S.
$267,300±$15kHighest
20% below U.S.
$145,300±$18kLowest
56% below U.S.
Bennington and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$610±$277Lowest
57% below U.S.
$1,104±$82
22% below U.S.
$1,292±$150Highest
9% below U.S.
$950±$574
33% below U.S.
Bennington and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,789
43% below U.S.
$3,588
15% above U.S.
$5,944Highest
91% above U.S.
$1,449Lowest
54% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
16.7%±10.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
85.4%±100Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
37.2%±20.6
U.S.: 51.1%
75%±100
U.S.: 51.1%
Appleton and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
9.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
79.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
82.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
74.3%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
94.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977Lowest
3 yrs older than U.S.
1988Highest
8 yrs newer than U.S.
1978
2 yrs older than U.S.
1982
2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 min
5% above U.S.
30 min
14% above U.S.
37 minHighest
40% above U.S.
19 minLowest
29% below U.S.
Work from home
10.8%±3.8
U.S.: 15.1%
11.1%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
14.7%±4.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.3%±9.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Bennington 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 Contoocook Valley School District —
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

U.S. 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.