Compare towns
Wiscasset vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs Monmouth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wiscasset has the most expensive homes ($325k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Monmouth has the most people working from home (23%).
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 | Wiscasset | Mapleton | Appleton | Monmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,874 |
1,884 |
1,360Lowest |
4,162Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±6.3 9% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
46.2±1.5 3% above ME |
| Appleton and Wiscasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.8%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
19%±6.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Monmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28%±6.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Wiscasset and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
33.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±1.6 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 | $71,118±$37k 5% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$74,648±$18k about the ME average |
| Mapleton and Monmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,200±$26kHighest 10% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$274,100±$21k 8% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,518±$485Highest 33% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,271±$175 12% above ME |
| Wiscasset and Monmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,550 17% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,139 3% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.6%±15.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
54.6%±46.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Monmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.4%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
23%±11Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Monmouth and Wiscasset 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 | #108 of 133 in ME | — | — | #51 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wiscasset Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 02 |
| High school in town | Wiscasset Middle/High School | None in town | None in town | Monmouth Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
— | — | 10.7Highest |
| 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.