Compare towns
Appleton vs Standish vs Hope vs Newburgh
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).
Standish has the highest household income ($105k).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Newburgh has the most renters (18.8% rent).
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 | Standish | Hope | Newburgh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
10,662Highest |
1,748 |
1,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+3.7% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
45.8±5.7 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Newburgh 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% |
16.4%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6 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%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Newburgh 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% |
36% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
| Standish and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$244,600±$20k 18% below ME |
| Hope and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$983±$453 14% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$950±$219Lowest 17% 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 |
$3,005 about the ME average |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$2,748Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Standish 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% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.2% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Standish 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 | — | #18 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Hope Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— | — |
| 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.