Compare towns
Appleton vs Beals vs Cushing 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).
Beals has the oldest housing (typical home built 1974).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k 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 | Beals | Cushing | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
498Lowest |
1,460 |
1,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
48±15.6 7% above ME |
48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Appleton and Cushing 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% |
16.1%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Appleton 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% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
38.4% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Beals 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 |
$64,063±$14k 14% below ME |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
| Hope and Cushing 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 |
$256,700±$45k 13% below ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
| Cushing and Hope 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 |
$907±$378Lowest 20% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
| Cushing 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 |
$2,580Lowest 15% below ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Hope 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% |
10.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 min 17% below ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Beals Public Schools | RSU 13 | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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.