Compare towns
Appleton vs Waltham vs Strong 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).
Waltham has the oldest population (median age 56.4).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Waltham | Strong | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
346Lowest |
1,249 |
1,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | -7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
56.4±9.3Highest 26% above ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Waltham 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% |
15%±8.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Strong 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% |
32.9%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Waltham 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% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Strong 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 |
$71,071±$14k 5% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
| Hope and Waltham 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 |
$181,300±$22kLowest 39% below ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$850±$567Lowest 25% below ME |
$920±$276 19% 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 |
$1,452Lowest 52% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
15%±96.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Hope 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% |
19.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.2% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
41 minHighest 67% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.4%±6.1 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | 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.