Compare towns
Mapleton vs Appleton vs East Machias vs Franklin
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 highest household income ($92k).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
East Machias has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Franklin has the most people working from home (12.2%).
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 | Mapleton | Appleton | East Machias | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,360 |
1,223Lowest |
1,628 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1% ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
42.8±2.9 4% below ME |
46±9.3 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Franklin 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% |
23.3%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| East Machias and Mapleton 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%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
33.9% ME: 36.2% |
28.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Franklin 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 |
$57,589±$10k 23% below ME |
$65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
| Mapleton and Franklin 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 |
$210,800±$23k 29% below ME |
$245,800±$59kHighest 17% below ME |
| Franklin and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$907±$566 20% below ME |
$888±$306 22% below ME |
| Appleton and East Machias 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 |
$1,836 40% below ME |
$2,231 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±40.3 ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8 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% |
15.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
83.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
4.1%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Franklin 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 Our Story | 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.