Compare towns
Appleton vs Hope vs Lincolnville
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).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Lincolnville has the most people working from home (22.1%).
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 | Hope | Lincolnville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,748 |
2,396Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
51.3±7.2Highest 15% above ME |
| Lincolnville and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
17%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Lincolnville 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% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26%±2.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Lincolnville 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% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
0.8%±0.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Hope 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 |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
$81,928±$12k 10% above ME |
| Hope and Lincolnville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$367,000±$17k 24% above ME |
| Hope and Lincolnville 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 |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$969±$284Lowest 15% below ME |
| Hope and Appleton 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 |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$3,544Lowest 17% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.7%±34.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Lincolnville 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% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
22.1%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Lincolnville and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Hope Public Schools | Lincolnville Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.