Compare towns
Appleton vs Dedham vs Hope vs Unity
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 oldest population (median age 49.2).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Hope has the most people working from home (18.3%).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Dedham | Hope | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,656 |
1,748 |
1,858Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Appleton and Dedham 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% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Hope 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% |
18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Hope 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% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
| Hope and Dedham 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 |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
| Dedham 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 |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Unity 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% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Dedham Public Schools | Hope Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.4 |
| 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.