Compare towns
Appleton vs Bath vs Hermon vs Hope
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Bath has the most renters (35.7% rent).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Hope has the most homeowners (92.9%).
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 | Appleton | Bath | Hermon | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
8,815Highest |
6,727 |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
45.4±3 about the ME average |
41.1±4.7Lowest 8% below ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.5% ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
| Hermon and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$333,600±$32k 12% above ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Hope and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
| Hermon and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$3,847Highest 27% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
75.2% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
23 min 8% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Hope 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 | — | #31 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Hermon Public Schools | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Morse High School | Hermon High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8Highest |
14.6Lowest |
— |
| 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.