Compare towns
Palermo vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Searsmont
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Palermo has the most people working from home (18.8%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Searsmont has the shortest commute (25 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 | Palermo | Mapleton | Appleton | Searsmont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,473 |
1,884Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,646 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±6.1 3% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
44.5±9.8 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±2 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
31.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,095±$15k 19% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$87,000±$20k 16% above ME |
| Mapleton and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $259,700±$54k 12% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$284,000±$31kHighest 4% below ME |
| Searsmont and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,235±$1kHighest 8% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$940±$311 17% below ME |
| Palermo and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,506 17% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,788 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
90.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 24% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 71 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.