Compare towns
Searsmont vs Chapman vs Appleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Searsmont has the most people working from home (16.3%).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
Appleton has the most renters (17.4% rent).
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 | Searsmont | Chapman | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,646Highest |
388Lowest |
1,360 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.5±9.8Lowest about the ME average |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
| Appleton and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 21%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.6% ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,000±$20k 16% above ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
| Chapman and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,000±$31kHighest 4% below ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
| Searsmont and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $940±$311Lowest 17% below ME |
— | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
| Appleton and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,788 8% below ME |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.4%±41.3 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.3%±10.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Searsmont and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 71 | — | Appleton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.