Compare towns
Mapleton vs Appleton vs Little Falls
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 oldest population (median age 49.2).
Little Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.9%).
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 | Little Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,360 |
718Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+21.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
46.3±21.2 3% above ME |
| Appleton and Little Falls 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% |
15.5%±16.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Little 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%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Little Falls 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% |
22.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±3.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| 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±$25k 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$127,500±$72kHighest 71% above ME |
| Little Falls 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 |
$375,800±$96kHighest 27% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$2,205±$101Highest 94% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$4,041Highest 33% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
15.3%±31.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Mapleton 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% |
0.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 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 |
27 minLowest 8% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
0%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Mapleton 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 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 2 photos → |
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.


