Compare towns
Appleton vs Hope vs Ogunquit vs Liberty
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).
Hope has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Liberty has the youngest population (median age 40.5).
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 | Hope | Ogunquit | Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,748Highest |
1,379 |
969Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
40.5±6.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Liberty 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% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±2.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ogunquit 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 |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$71,146±$15k 5% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$229,600±$31kLowest 23% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
— | $559±$193Lowest 51% 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 |
$3,842 27% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,434Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Liberty 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% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.4%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Hope Public Schools | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| 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.