Compare towns
Appleton vs Waterville 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 oldest population (median age 49.2).
Waterville has the most renters (51.2% rent).
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 | Waterville | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
17,077Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Hope 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% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Appleton 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% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Hope 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% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% 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 |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Waterville 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% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Waterville 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 | — | #105 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Waterville Public Schools | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Waterville Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.