Compare towns
West Gardiner vs Appleton vs Chapman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Gardiner has the most expensive homes ($305k median).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
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 Gardiner | Appleton | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,696Highest |
1,360 |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 43.5±2.8Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,172±$30kHighest 29% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$93,125±$17k 25% above ME |
| West Gardiner and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $305,100±$42kHighest about the ME average |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
| West Gardiner and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,087±$150Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
— |
| Appleton and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,282 25% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±9.4 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.8%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| West Gardiner 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 | #90 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.