Compare towns
Bradley vs Mapleton vs Hope vs Hiram
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Hiram has the youngest population (median age 41.6).
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 | Bradley | Mapleton | Hope | Hiram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,645Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,748 |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±9.7 5% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average |
41.6±10.2Lowest 7% below ME |
| Hope and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Hope and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,667±$28k about the ME average |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$62,813±$10kLowest 16% below ME |
| Mapleton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,800±$37k 32% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$256,600±$42k 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$325 4% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$1,070±$161 6% below ME |
| Hope and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,946 36% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$2,106 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±22.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hiram and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
12.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
31 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.1%±7.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.6%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 34 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Hope Public Schools | RSU 55/MSAD 55 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Sacopee Valley High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.9 |
| 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.