Compare towns
Mapleton vs Appleton vs Owls Head vs Union
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 affordable homes ($192k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Owls Head has the most expensive homes ($413k median).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
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 | Owls Head | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,360Lowest |
1,482 |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
52.6±6.6Highest 17% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Owls Head 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 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union 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%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
31.9%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Owls Head 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% |
39.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 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±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$87,325±$7k 17% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Mapleton and Owls Head 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 |
$413,300±$43kHighest 39% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,191±$386Highest 5% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Owls Head and Union 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 |
$2,981 about the ME average |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
29.9%±51.6 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Owls Head 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% ME: 10.7% |
5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
16 minLowest 34% below ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
13.3%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Owls Head 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 | RSU 13 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None 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.