Compare towns
Appleton vs Wayne vs Hope vs Searsmont
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 affordable homes ($236k median).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Hope has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
Searsmont has the youngest population (median age 44.5).
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 | Wayne | Hope | Searsmont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,101Lowest |
1,748Highest |
1,646 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
44.5±9.8Lowest about the ME average |
| Wayne 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% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6 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%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne 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% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
31.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont and Wayne 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 |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$87,000±$20k 16% above ME |
| Wayne and Searsmont 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 |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$284,000±$31k 4% below ME |
| Hope and Wayne 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±$554 14% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$940±$311Lowest 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 |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$2,788Lowest 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.6% 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 |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 38 | Hope Public Schools | RSU 71 |
| High school in town | None 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.