Compare towns
Mapleton vs Appleton vs Waltham 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).
Waltham has the most people working from home (20.6%).
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 | Waltham | East Machias |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,360 |
452Lowest |
1,223 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest 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. |
60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S. |
42.8±2.9 10% above U.S. |
| Waltham 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%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±7.4Lowest 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% |
45.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
39%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%±2.1Lowest 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±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$97,500±$14kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$57,589±$10k 29% below U.S. |
| Waltham 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 42% below U.S. |
$235,600±$33k 29% below U.S. |
$329,700±$51kHighest about the U.S. average |
$210,800±$23k 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,104±$82Highest 22% below U.S. |
$1,096±$113 22% below U.S. |
$907±$566 36% below U.S. |
| Appleton and Waltham 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. |
$5,714Highest 83% 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% |
29.2%±58.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±40.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and East Machias 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% |
5.3%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% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
28 min 5% 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% |
20.6%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | — | East Machias Public Schools |
| 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 |
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.