Compare towns
Warren vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Warren has the most people working from home (11.6%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 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 | Warren | Mapleton | Appleton | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,932Highest |
1,884 |
1,360Lowest |
2,769 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2 6% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
| Thomaston and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Thomaston and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
30.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,616±$21k about the ME average |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$56,435±$13k 24% below ME |
| Mapleton and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,700±$32k 22% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$271,700±$10kHighest 8% below ME |
| Thomaston and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$456 about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,262±$343Highest 11% above ME |
| Thomaston and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,832 7% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.1%±29.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 8% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.6%±9.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Warren 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 | #120 of 133 in ME | — | — | #99 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 13 |
| 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.