Compare towns
Appleton vs Bristol vs Strong 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 renters (17.4% rent).
Bristol has the most people working from home (25%).
Strong has the most affordable homes ($184k 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 | Bristol | Strong | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
2,917Highest |
1,249Lowest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.9% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Strong 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% |
42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bristol 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% ME: 36.2% |
52.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$100,750±$19kHighest 35% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
| Bristol 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±$33k 21% below ME |
$406,400±$54kHighest 37% above ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
| Bristol 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 |
$1,051±$106 8% below ME |
$920±$276Lowest 19% 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 |
$2,668 12% below ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol and Strong 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 | — | #16 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Bristol Public Schools | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | 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.