Compare towns
North Windham vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Standish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Windham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Standish has the highest household income ($105k).
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 | North Windham | Mapleton | Appleton | Standish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,417 |
1,884 |
1,360Lowest |
10,662Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+3.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3 6% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Appleton and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,522±$8k 18% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
| Standish and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,800±$29kHighest 16% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
| North Windham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,248±$604Highest 10% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$983±$453 14% below ME |
| North Windham and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,546 17% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,005 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.7%±14.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 7% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| North Windham and Standish 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 | — | — | — | #18 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.5 |
| 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.