Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Hope vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($155k median).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Mapleton has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
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 | Bridgewater | Hope | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 484Lowest |
1,748 |
1,884Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±8Highest 9% above ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
| Bridgewater and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 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+ | 27.5%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,417±$15kLowest 12% below ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above 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 | $154,900±$78kLowest 48% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $768±$116 33% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,417Lowest 53% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.9%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 10% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.5%±5.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Hope Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school 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.