Compare towns
Readfield vs Appleton vs Mapleton vs Belgrade
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Belgrade has the shortest commute (23 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 | Readfield | Appleton | Mapleton | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,651 |
1,360Lowest |
1,884 |
3,351Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
| Appleton and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
| Mapleton and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
| Readfield and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$857±$108 25% below ME |
| Readfield and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,392 12% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,859 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 20% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Belgrade 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 | #20 of 133 in ME | — | — | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5 |
— | — | — |
| 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.