Compare towns
Appleton vs Hancock vs Thomaston 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).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 min average).
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 | Hancock | Thomaston | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
2,518 |
2,769Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
-1.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
56.3±6.4 26% above ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Thomaston and Hancock 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% |
13.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Thomaston 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% |
30.2%±7 ME: 22.4% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Thomaston and Hancock 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% |
34.9% ME: 36.2% |
30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Hancock 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 |
$72,285±$5k 3% below ME |
$56,435±$13k 24% below ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$276,800±$51k 7% below ME |
$271,700±$10k 8% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,171±$65 about the ME average |
$1,262±$343Highest 11% above ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
| Thomaston 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 |
$1,869Lowest 38% below ME |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
42%±15.5 ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Thomaston 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% |
8.2% ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.1% ME: 74.3% |
73.9%Lowest 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 |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest 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 | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #117 of 133 in ME | #99 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Hancock Public Schools | RSU 13 | 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 |
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.