Compare towns

Orient vs Appleton vs Mapleton

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Orient has the most people working from home (81%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).

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.

MeasureOrientAppletonMapleton
People
Population
137Lowest
1,360
1,884Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+7.2%Highest
ME: +2.6%
-3.2%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
62±9Highest
38% above ME
49.2±7.4
10% above ME
41.8±6Lowest
7% below ME
Orient and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
16.8%±18.9
ME: 18.1%
15.3%±2.7Lowest
ME: 18.1%
22.2%±5.1Highest
ME: 18.1%
Mapleton and Orient are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
46%±10.2Highest
ME: 22.4%
26.1%±9.3
ME: 22.4%
18.3%±3.1Lowest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
25%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
34.1%
ME: 36.2%
34.3%Highest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0%±11.4Lowest
ME: 5.8%
3.7%±2.4
ME: 5.8%
5%±2.9Highest
ME: 5.8%
Mapleton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian —
$53,618±$19kLowest
28% below ME
$91,731±$25kHighest
23% above ME
Mapleton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$548,600±$183kHighest
85% above ME
$235,600±$33k
21% below ME
$191,800±$23kLowest
35% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$1,104±$82Highest
3% below ME
$610±$277Lowest
46% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly —
$3,588Highest
18% above ME
$1,789Lowest
41% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
100%±100Highest
ME: 48.4%
85.4%±100
ME: 48.4%
16.7%±10.5Lowest
ME: 48.4%
Orient and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
35.8%Highest
ME: 10.7%
9.7%
ME: 10.7%
8.9%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
93.7%Highest
ME: 74.3%
82.6%
ME: 74.3%
79.9%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1986
9 yrs newer than ME
1988Highest
11 yrs newer than ME
1977Lowest
same as ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way —
30 minHighest
23% above ME
28 minLowest
13% above ME
Work from home
81%±44Highest
ME: 15.9%
11.1%±3.5
ME: 15.9%
10.8%±3.8Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Schools
School district — Appleton Public Schools RSU 79/MSAD 01
High school in town — None in town None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.