Compare towns
Sumner vs Appleton vs Mapleton vs Frenchville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sumner has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Appleton has the most expensive homes ($236k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Frenchville has the shortest commute (16 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 | Sumner | Appleton | Mapleton | Frenchville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 845Lowest |
1,360 |
1,884Highest |
971 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
54.4±8.3 21% above ME |
| Sumner and Frenchville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
28.4%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Frenchville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.3 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 | $57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$55,461±$9k 26% below ME |
| Mapleton and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $150,000±$73k 49% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$137,300±$17kLowest 54% 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 | — | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$545±$373Lowest 52% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,167 29% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,295Lowest 57% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
22.4%±31.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
18.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 72% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
16 minLowest 37% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 10 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 33/MSAD 33 |
| High school in town | None 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.