Compare towns
Mapleton vs Pittston vs Appleton vs Franklin
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 kids (22.2% under 18).
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Franklin has the most people working from home (12.2%).
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 | Pittston | Appleton | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
3,093Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,628 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
46±9.3 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Franklin 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% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Pittston 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% |
18.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Franklin 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% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
28.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston 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 |
$86,614±$18k 16% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$65,455±$16k 12% below 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 |
$238,700±$66k 20% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$245,800±$59kHighest 17% below ME |
| Franklin 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 |
$1,080±$593 5% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$888±$306 22% below ME |
| Appleton and Pittston 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 |
$1,909 37% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,231 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Pittston 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% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Franklin 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 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.