Compare towns
Milo vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Milo has the most affordable homes ($97k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Calais has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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 | Milo | Mapleton | Appleton | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,165 |
1,884 |
1,360Lowest |
3,097Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.9±7 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
43.8±5.1 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Milo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.8%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Milo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.1%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
25.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Calais and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,875±$9k 24% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$64,096±$10k 14% below ME |
| Mapleton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $97,100±$27kLowest 67% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$111,100±$36k 63% 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 | $879±$400 23% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$1,010±$199 11% below ME |
| Appleton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,450Lowest 52% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,684 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.7%±20.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
21.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 70% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
16 minLowest 35% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.2%±2.1 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
2.6%±2.7Lowest 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 | — | — | — | #48 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 41/MSAD 41 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | Calais Public Schools |
| High school in town | Penquis Valley Middle/High School | None in town | None in town | Calais Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | — | 12.0Lowest |
| 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.