Compare towns
Stetson vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Newport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stetson has the most homeowners (87.9%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Newport has the most people working from home (14.7%).
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 | Stetson | Mapleton | Appleton | Newport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,151Lowest |
1,884 |
1,360 |
3,143Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.2±5.1 6% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
50.3±3.2Highest 12% above ME |
| Newport and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Stetson and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.2%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Newport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
24.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2%±2.3Lowest 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 | $76,023±$28k about the ME average |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$60,365±$13k 19% below ME |
| Mapleton and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $205,700±$34k 31% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$234,800±$30k 21% below ME |
| Appleton and Newport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $800±$377 30% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$893±$104 22% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,962 35% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,018 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.7%±42 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.3%±16.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
12.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
14.7%±7.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Newport 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 | — | — | — | #97 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 19 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Nokomis Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 13.3 |
| 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.