Compare towns
Buxton 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
Buxton has the highest household income ($100k).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
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 | Buxton | Hope | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,512Highest |
1,748Lowest |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
| Buxton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±3.6Lowest 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+ | 19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Hope and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
| Buxton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,800±$21k 20% above ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Hope and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Buxton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422 13% above ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1Lowest 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 | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #104 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Hope Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| 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.