Compare towns
Willimantic vs Appleton vs Mapleton vs Guilford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Willimantic has the most kids (36.5% under 18).
Appleton has the most expensive homes ($236k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Guilford has the shortest commute (19 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 | Willimantic | Appleton | Mapleton | Guilford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 200Lowest |
1,360 |
1,884Highest |
1,096 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-16.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.5±11.9Lowest 14% below ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
53.5±7.4Highest 19% above ME |
| Guilford and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 36.5%±11.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Willimantic and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±16.2 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.5%±4.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Guilford and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
10.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±6.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,472±$52k 15% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,173±$13kLowest 29% below ME |
| Mapleton and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $131,700±$21kLowest 56% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$170,100±$31k 43% 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 | — | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$507±$336Lowest 55% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,285Lowest 58% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,619 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
67%±24 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 32.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
78.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 6% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
19 minLowest 22% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.8%±13.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±8.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Willimantic and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 80/MSAD 04 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Piscataquis Community Secondary School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.2 |
| 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.