Compare towns
Appleton vs Mars Hill vs Hope vs Strong
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 oldest population (median age 49.2).
Mars Hill has the most renters (29.4% rent).
Hope has the most expensive homes ($373k median).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Mars Hill | Hope | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,398 |
1,748Highest |
1,249Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
| Appleton and Strong 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% |
22.9%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Mars Hill 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% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Mars Hill 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% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mars Hill 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±$19k 28% below ME |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$920±$276 19% 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 |
$1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong 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 | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | Hope Public Schools | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0 |
— | — |
| 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.