Compare towns
Mapleton vs Appleton vs Reading vs East Machias
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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%).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
East Machias has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Reading | East Machias |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,360 |
699Lowest |
1,223 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
49.2±7.4 26% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
42.8±2.9 10% above U.S. |
| Reading 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 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±9.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mapleton and East Machias 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 14% above U.S. |
$53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$57,589±$10k 29% below U.S. |
| Mapleton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$235,600±$33k 29% below U.S. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$210,800±$23k 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,104±$82Highest 22% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$907±$566 36% below U.S. |
| Appleton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$3,588 15% above U.S. |
$5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$1,836 41% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±40.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading 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 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | East Machias Public Schools |
| 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 |
U.S. 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.