Compare towns
Mapleton vs Readfield vs Appleton vs Union
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).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
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 | Readfield | Appleton | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
2,651 |
1,360Lowest |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Appleton and Readfield 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% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union 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% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 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 |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Mapleton and Readfield 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 |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Readfield and Union 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 |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Readfield 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 |
$3,392 12% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Union 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 | — | #20 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 38 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— | — |
| 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.