Compare towns
Appleton vs Bath vs Washburn 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 oldest population (median age 49.2).
Bath has the most renters (35.7% rent).
Washburn has the most affordable homes ($113k median).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
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 | Washburn | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
8,815Highest |
1,355Lowest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
-9.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
45.4±3 about the ME average |
48.2±7.7 8% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Appleton and Washburn 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% |
21.7%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Washburn 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% |
24%±3.7 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
42.5% ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest 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% |
3.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Appleton 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 |
$56,196±$6k 25% below ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
| Hope and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$112,900±$14kLowest 62% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Hope and Bath 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±$116 8% below ME |
$482±$62Lowest 58% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
| Hope and Appleton 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 |
$1,571Lowest 48% 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% |
33.3%±24.7Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
12.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.2% 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 |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
21 min 15% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±3.9Lowest 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 | — | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 45/MSAD 45 | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Morse High School | Washburn District High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8Highest |
12.0Lowest |
— |
| 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.