Compare towns
Weston vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Waltham
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 shortest commute (18 min average).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Appleton has the most expensive homes ($236k median).
Waltham has the most people working from home (13.4%).
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 | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 275Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,360 |
346 |
| 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 |
56.4±9.3Highest 26% above ME |
| Waltham 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% |
15%±8.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Appleton 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% |
32.9%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Waltham and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±4.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±3.5 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 |
$71,071±$14k 5% below ME |
| Mapleton and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $171,700±$26kLowest 42% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$181,300±$22k 39% below ME |
| Appleton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$850±$567 25% below ME |
| Appleton and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,500 51% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,452Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
15%±96.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Weston and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.6% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
19.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.2% 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 min 23% above ME |
41 minHighest 67% 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% |
13.4%±6.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waltham and Weston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| 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.