Compare towns
Appleton vs Orient vs Weston 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 renters (17.4% rent).
Orient has the most people working from home (81%).
Weston has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
Hope has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
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 | Orient | Weston | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
137Lowest |
275 |
1,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | — | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
62±9Highest 38% above ME |
55.1±14 23% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Orient and Weston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±18.9 ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±7.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Orient 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% |
46%±10.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
23.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±11.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±4.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Hope 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 |
— | $58,942±$7k 21% below ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$548,600±$183kHighest 85% above ME |
$171,700±$26kLowest 42% below ME |
$373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
| Orient and Hope 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 |
| 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 |
— | $1,500Lowest 51% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 9.7% ME: 10.7% |
35.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
19.6% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
93.1% ME: 74.3% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
— | 18 minLowest 28% below ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
81%±44Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±12.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | — | Hope Public Schools |
| High school 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.