Compare towns
Phippsburg vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Phippsburg has the highest household income ($108k).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Bath has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Phippsburg | Mapleton | Appleton | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,238 |
1,884 |
1,360Lowest |
8,815Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.3±6.3Highest 21% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
45.4±3 about the ME average |
| Phippsburg and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 34.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Phippsburg and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
| Phippsburg and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,800±$47kHighest 13% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
| Phippsburg and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,022±$346 10% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$1,044±$116 8% below ME |
| Appleton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,034 33% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,847Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.5%±98.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.7%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Phippsburg 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 | — | — | — | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 14.8 |
| 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.