Compare towns
Starks vs Appleton vs Mapleton vs Norridgewock
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Starks has the most homeowners (90%).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Norridgewock has the most people working from home (22.3%).
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 | Starks | Appleton | Mapleton | Norridgewock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 556Lowest |
1,360 |
1,884 |
3,288Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
50.3±11Highest 12% above ME |
| Norridgewock and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
10.5%±5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25%±7.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Norridgewock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 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 | $63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$61,579±$19k 18% below ME |
| Mapleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$151,900±$52k 49% below ME |
| Appleton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,063±$588 7% below ME |
| Appleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,462 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.4%±46.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Norridgewock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.2% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
22 minLowest 10% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
22.3%±13.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Norridgewock and Appleton 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 | — | — | — | #91 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 54/MSAD 54 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.