Compare towns
Mapleton vs Monroe 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 most affordable homes ($192k median).
Monroe has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
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 | Monroe | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,001Lowest |
1,360 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
| Appleton and Monroe 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% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe 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% |
22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Monroe 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% |
29.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe and Mapleton 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 |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
| Mapleton and Monroe 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 |
$220,300±$57k 26% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
| Appleton and Monroe 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 |
$1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
| Monroe 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 |
$2,207 27% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Monroe 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% |
11.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Monroe 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 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Appleton 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 |
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.