Compare towns
Readfield vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Manchester
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%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Manchester has the shortest commute (20 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 | Mapleton | Appleton | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,651Highest |
1,884 |
1,360Lowest |
2,424 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
46.9±4.6 5% 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Manchester 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest 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 | $86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$92,031±$16kHighest 23% above ME |
| Manchester and Mapleton 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$299,600±$40k about the ME average |
| Readfield and Manchester 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$993±$116 13% 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,486 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
85% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 20% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Manchester 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | RSU 38 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| 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.