Compare towns
Readfield vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Pownal
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%).
Pownal has the most expensive homes ($437k median).
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 | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,651Highest |
1,884 |
1,360Lowest |
1,696 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% 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 |
47.2±8.4 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%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Pownal 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Pownal 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Pownal 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 |
$104,333±$14kHighest 40% above ME |
| Pownal 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±$20k 10% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$436,800±$32kHighest 47% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$981±$636 14% 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 |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$5,212Highest 72% 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% |
78.9%±22.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 20% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 min 22% above 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% |
23.9%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Pownal 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 05 |
| 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.