Compare towns
Appleton vs Danforth vs Readfield vs Hope
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($90k median).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Danforth | Readfield | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
666Lowest |
2,651Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-0.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
53.1±4.4Highest 19% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Danforth 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 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Readfield 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% |
26.1%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Readfield 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 |
$48,125±$8kLowest 36% below ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
| Hope and Readfield 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 |
$89,900±$36kLowest 70% below ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Hope and Readfield 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 |
$629±$29Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
| Hope and Readfield 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 |
$1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
36.1%±57.5 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Lowest 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% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 15% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
5.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield 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 | — | — | #20 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 38 | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
— |
| 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.