Compare towns
Sumner vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Peru
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%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Appleton has the most expensive homes ($236k median).
Peru has the most affordable homes ($141k 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 | Sumner | Mapleton | Appleton | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 845Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,360 |
1,501 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
48±7.6 7% above ME |
| Sumner and Appleton 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.8%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Peru 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Appleton 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.9 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$66,827±$19k 11% below ME |
| Mapleton and Peru 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$141,300±$38kLowest 52% 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 | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$723±$16 37% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,167 29% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,799 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
21.7%±37.5 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
90.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 72% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±4Lowest 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 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 56 |
| 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.