Compare towns
Appleton vs Cornish vs Pittston vs Hope
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Pittston has the youngest population (median age 41.4).
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 | Cornish | Pittston | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,816 |
3,093Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 26% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
41.4±5.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.6±3.1 15% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±7.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hope and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pittston 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 34% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$86,614±$18k 7% above U.S. |
$86,766±$6k 7% above U.S. |
| Cornish 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 29% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$238,700±$66k 28% below U.S. |
$373,400±$33kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Hope and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 22% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,080±$593Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,219±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 15% above U.S. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$1,909Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$3,842 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±34.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±38.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hope and Cornish 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 | — | — | #123 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Cornish School District | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | 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 |
U.S. 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.