Compare towns
Wales vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Chesterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wales has the most people working from home (22.2%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Chesterville has the shortest commute (25 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 | Wales | Mapleton | Appleton | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,924Highest |
1,884 |
1,360Lowest |
1,397 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35.1±4.2Lowest 22% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
37.8±4 16% below ME |
| Appleton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 30.2%±6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
15%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
20.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wales and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,004±$5k 3% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$61,635±$10k 18% below ME |
| Mapleton and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $250,400±$28kHighest 16% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
| Wales and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,154±$64Highest about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,088±$73 4% below ME |
| Wales and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,578 15% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,194 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 83.3%±37.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 14% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 22.2%±13.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wales and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 04 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Oak Hill High School | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
— | — | — |
| 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.