Compare towns
Appleton vs Hope vs Perham vs Penobscot
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 highest household income ($87k).
Perham has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
Penobscot has the oldest population (median age 53.4).
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 | Perham | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,748Highest |
326Lowest |
1,154 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
53±12.9 18% above ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Penobscot and Perham 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% |
19.6%±8.5 ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Perham 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% |
24.5%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot 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% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Perham 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 |
$62,500±$22k 16% below ME |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
$296,400±$58k about the ME average |
| Hope and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
— | $1,141±$33 about the ME average |
| Hope and Penobscot 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 |
$1,641Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,852 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Penobscot 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% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.5% ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Penobscot 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 | — | Penobscot 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.