Compare towns
Appleton vs Temple vs Castle Hill 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).
Temple has the most kids (32.8% under 18).
Castle Hill has the most affordable homes ($145k median).
Hope has the most people working from home (18.3%).
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 | Temple | Castle Hill | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
824 |
281Lowest |
1,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
34±14Lowest 24% below ME |
57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
| Castle Hill and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
32.8%±7.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±5.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Temple and Hope 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% |
15%±6.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
13.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Temple 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 |
$56,087±$2k 25% below ME |
$54,250±$14k 27% below ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$210,200±$79k 29% below ME |
$145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,458±$565Highest 28% above ME |
$950±$574Lowest 17% below ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
| Temple and Hope 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 |
$2,367 22% below ME |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
73.3%±70.5 ME: 48.4% |
75%±100 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Castle Hill 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% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±8.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| 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 | 6 photos → | 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.