Compare towns
Appleton vs Springfield vs Penobscot 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).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($123k median).
Penobscot has the oldest population (median age 53.4).
Hope has the highest household income ($87k).
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 | Springfield | Penobscot | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
310Lowest |
1,154 |
1,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | -10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
52.4±7 17% above ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Springfield 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% |
18.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Springfield 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% |
21.6%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot 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% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9 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 |
$60,833±$23k 19% below ME |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$122,500±$28kLowest 59% below ME |
$296,400±$58k about the ME average |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Hope and Penobscot 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 |
— | $1,141±$33 about the ME average |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
| Hope and Penobscot 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 |
$1,067Lowest 65% below ME |
$1,852 39% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
— | 73.9%±100 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Penobscot 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% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
96.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 min 21% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.6%±5.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | Penobscot Public Schools | 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.