Compare towns
Mapleton vs Appleton vs Blue Hill
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 kids (22.2% under 18).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Blue Hill has the most people working from home (21%).
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 | Blue Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,360Lowest |
2,813Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
48.6±8.2 8% above ME |
| Appleton and Blue Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.3%±7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Blue Hill 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% |
29.6%±10.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Blue Hill 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Blue Hill and Mapleton 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 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$80,377±$17k 8% above ME |
| Mapleton and Blue Hill 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 |
$399,500±$82kHighest 35% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$1,038±$638 9% below ME |
| Appleton and Blue Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,907 4% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
93.6%±27.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Blue Hill and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
21%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Blue Hill and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #29 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | Blue Hill 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 |
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.