Compare towns
West Bath vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Newcastle
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Bath has the highest household income ($103k).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Newcastle has the most people working from home (20.2%).
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 | West Bath | Mapleton | Appleton | Newcastle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,863 |
1,884 |
1,360Lowest |
1,913Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
49.4±7 10% above ME |
| West Bath and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.8%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±1.4 ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$89,868±$33k 20% above ME |
| West Bath and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$398,000±$41k 34% above ME |
| West Bath and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,112±$327 about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,363±$81Highest 20% above ME |
| Newcastle and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,516 16% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$4,256Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
5.8%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 16% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
17 minLowest 30% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Newcastle and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | West Bath Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school 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.