Compare towns
Appleton vs Dedham vs Monticello 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).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Monticello has the most affordable homes ($126k median).
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 | Dedham | Monticello | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,656 |
674Lowest |
1,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2% ME: +2.6% |
-6.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
52.7±6Highest 18% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Monticello 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% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.8%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4 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%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
28.2%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Monticello 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% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
9.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Dedham 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 |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$51,875±$13kLowest 31% below ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$125,800±$36kLowest 58% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above 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 |
$833±$434Lowest 27% below ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above 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 |
$1,200Lowest 60% below ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.5%±62.8 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% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
19.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.2% ME: 74.3% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Appleton 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 |
| High school 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.