Compare towns
Appleton vs Newburgh vs Sumner vs Hope
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newburgh has the most renters (18.8% rent).
Sumner has the most affordable homes ($150k median).
Hope has the most expensive homes ($373k median).
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 | Newburgh | Sumner | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,475 |
845Lowest |
1,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
45.8±5.7 about the ME average |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Sumner 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% |
18.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Newburgh 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% |
21.4%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner 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% |
29.9% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Newburgh 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 |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
| Hope and Newburgh 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 |
$244,600±$20k 18% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$950±$219Lowest 17% below ME |
— | $1,219±$182Highest 7% above 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 |
$2,748 9% below ME |
$2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Appleton 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% |
11.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner 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 10 | Hope 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.