Compare towns
Appleton vs Windham vs Penobscot 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).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Penobscot has the oldest population (median age 53.4).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
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 | Windham | Penobscot | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
19,188Highest |
1,154Lowest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Windham 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot 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% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Windham 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 |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$296,400±$58k about the ME average |
$373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
| Windham 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 |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$1,141±$33 about the ME average |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
| Windham 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 |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Penobscot 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Hope 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 14 | Penobscot Public Schools | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| 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.