Compare towns
Appleton vs Hampden 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 affordable homes ($236k median).
Hampden has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Hampden | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
7,896Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden 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% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Hampden 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 28% below ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$301,300±$38k about the ME average |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,286±$317Highest 13% above ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
| Hampden and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
$3,694 22% above ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden 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 | — | #6 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 22 | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Hampden Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.