Compare towns
Appleton vs Kennebunk 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).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
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 | Kennebunk | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
11,820Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Kennebunk 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% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Kennebunk 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%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Kennebunk 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% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Kennebunk 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 |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
$373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
| Kennebunk 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 |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest 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% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk 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 | — | #9 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 21 | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Kennebunk High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— |
| 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.