Compare towns
Weston vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Orient
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Weston has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Orient has the most people working from home (81%).
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 | Weston | Mapleton | Appleton | Orient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 275 |
1,884Highest |
1,360 |
137Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 55.1±14 23% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
62±9Highest 38% above ME |
| Orient and Weston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±7.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±18.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Orient are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
46%±10.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±4.5 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
0%±11.4Lowest 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 | $58,942±$7k 21% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
— |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $171,700±$26kLowest 42% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$548,600±$183kHighest 85% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,500Lowest 51% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above 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% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 19.6% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
35.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
93.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 28% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
— |
| Work from home | 11.1%±12.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
81%±44Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school 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.