Compare towns
Mapleton vs Bridgewater vs Appleton
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 highest household income ($92k).
Bridgewater has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
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 | Bridgewater | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
484Lowest |
1,360 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
48.8±8 9% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
| Appleton and Bridgewater 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% |
17.1%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Bridgewater 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% |
27.5%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bridgewater 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 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 |
$65,417±$15k 12% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
| Mapleton and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$154,900±$78kLowest 48% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
| Appleton and Mapleton 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 |
$768±$116 33% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 41% below ME |
$1,417Lowest 53% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.9%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Bridgewater 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% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
22 minLowest 10% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±5.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest 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 | 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.