Compare towns
Mapleton vs West Gardiner vs Appleton vs Newburgh
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).
West Gardiner has the most expensive homes ($305k median).
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 | West Gardiner | Appleton | Newburgh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
3,696Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43.5±2.8 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
45.8±5.7 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Newburgh 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% |
18.9%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Newburgh 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% |
32.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
29.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner 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±$25k 23% above ME |
$96,172±$30kHighest 29% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
| West Gardiner 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 35% below ME |
$305,100±$42kHighest about the ME average |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$244,600±$20k 18% below ME |
| West Gardiner and Newburgh 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 |
$1,087±$150 5% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$950±$219 17% below ME |
| Appleton and West Gardiner 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 |
$2,282 25% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,748 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.1%±9.4 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and West Gardiner 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% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
11.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| West Gardiner 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 | — | #90 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.