Compare towns
Appleton vs Belfast 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).
Belfast has the oldest population (median age 60.6).
Hope has the most people working from home (18.3%).
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 | Belfast | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
6,986Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Appleton 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% |
39.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Belfast 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% |
42.9% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Hope 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 |
$67,679±$9k 9% below ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$340,900±$34k 15% above ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Hope and Belfast 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 |
$962±$92Lowest 16% 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 | $3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
$4,145Highest 37% above ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Belfast 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% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
22 min 13% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12%±6 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Belfast 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 | — | #84 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 71 | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Belfast Area High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.