Compare towns
Appleton vs West Bath 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 affordable homes ($236k median).
West Bath has the highest household income ($103k).
Hope has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
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 | West Bath | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,863Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| West Bath 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% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest 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%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| West Bath and Appleton 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 |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
| West Bath 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 |
$422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
$373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
| West Bath and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,112±$327 about the ME average |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
| Hope and West Bath 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 |
$3,516Lowest 16% above ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and West Bath 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | West Bath Public Schools | 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 |
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.