Compare towns
Oakland vs Appleton vs Mapleton vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oakland has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Waterville has the most people working from home (16.6%).
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 | Oakland | Appleton | Mapleton | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,309 |
1,360Lowest |
1,884 |
17,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.2±6.9 10% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Appleton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,813±$16k 4% above ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Mapleton and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $236,000±$23kHighest 20% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Oakland and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$74 18% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
| Appleton and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,439 20% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,755 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville 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 | #23 of 133 in ME | — | — | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Messalonskee High School | None in town | None in town | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2Highest |
— | — | 12.8Lowest |
| 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.