Compare towns
Appleton vs Phillips vs Pittston vs Hope
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Phillips has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
Pittston has the youngest population (median age 41.4).
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 | Phillips | Pittston | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,094Lowest |
3,093Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
| Phillips 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% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Phillips 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% |
21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Phillips 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% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston and Phillips 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 |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$86,614±$18k 16% above ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
| Hope and Pittston 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 |
$190,800±$18kLowest 36% below ME |
$238,700±$66k 20% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$1,080±$593 5% 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 |
$2,582 15% below ME |
$1,909Lowest 37% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Pittston 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% |
17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
81%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Phillips 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 | — | — | #123 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.