Compare towns
Mapleton vs Appleton vs Island Falls vs Pittston
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 the most people working from home (11.1%).
Island Falls has the most affordable homes ($108k median).
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
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 | Island Falls | Pittston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,360 |
768Lowest |
3,093Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-9.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
50.7±10.6Highest 13% above ME |
41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Island Falls and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±7.1 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Island Falls 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% |
26.3%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Island Falls 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
12.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston 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 |
$56,328±$8k 25% below ME |
$86,614±$18k 16% above ME |
| Mapleton and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$108,300±$25kLowest 63% below ME |
$238,700±$66kHighest 20% below ME |
| Pittston 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 |
$636±$124 44% below ME |
$1,080±$593 5% below ME |
| Appleton and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,720Lowest 43% below ME |
$1,909 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
17.9%±51.5 ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Pittston 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% |
20.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1960Lowest 17 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Mapleton 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 | — | — | — | #123 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| 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.