Compare towns
Millinocket vs Appleton vs Mapleton vs Lincoln
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Millinocket has the most affordable homes ($100k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Lincoln has the most renters (27.4% rent).
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 | Millinocket | Appleton | Mapleton | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,779 |
1,360Lowest |
1,884 |
4,890Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-4.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 57.5±7.3Highest 28% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
52.4±3.4 17% above ME |
| Millinocket and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.1%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 39.4%±8.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32.1%±7.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Millinocket and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Millinocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $50,445±$11kLowest 32% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$56,089±$15k 25% below ME |
| Mapleton and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $99,800±$24kLowest 66% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$141,500±$40k 52% 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 | $451±$130Lowest 60% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$658±$28 42% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,538Lowest 49% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,860 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.5%±11 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.3%±34.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 21 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 1.7%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Mapleton 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 | #98 of 133 in ME | — | — | #94 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Lincoln-Region 3 · RSU 67 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Mattanawcook Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.8 |
| 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.