Compare towns
Mapleton vs Appleton vs Wales 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 affordable homes ($192k median).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Wales has the most people working from home (22.2%).
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 | Wales | Pittston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,360Lowest |
1,924 |
3,093Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-0.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
35.1±4.2Lowest 22% below ME |
41.4±5.9 8% below ME |
| Appleton and Mapleton 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% |
30.2%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Wales and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
11%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Pittston 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% |
15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±3.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$77,004±$5k 3% above 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±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$250,400±$28kHighest 16% below ME |
$238,700±$66k 20% below ME |
| Wales and Pittston 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±$82 3% below ME |
$1,154±$64Highest about the ME average |
$1,080±$593 5% below ME |
| Wales and Appleton 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 |
$2,578 15% 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% |
83.3%±37.5 ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Wales 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% |
25.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±13.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wales and Appleton 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 04 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Oak Hill High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.9 |
— |
| 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.