Compare towns
Willimantic vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Monson
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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Appleton has the most expensive homes ($236k median).
Monson has the most people working from home (19.6%).
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 | Mapleton | Appleton | Monson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 200Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,360 |
596 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.5±11.9Lowest 14% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
47.4±13.1 6% above ME |
| Appleton and Monson 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.3%±5.8 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
31.4%±10.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Monson 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
18% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±6.9 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
0.5%±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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$56,017±$4k 25% 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$178,100±$71k 40% 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 |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,285Lowest 58% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,664 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±59.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Monson 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
14.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 6% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.8%±13.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19.6%±17.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Monson and Willimantic 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.