Compare towns
Carthage vs Mapleton vs Hope vs Mexico
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%).
Mexico has the most affordable homes ($111k 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 | Carthage | Mapleton | Hope | Mexico |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 845Lowest |
1,884 |
1,748 |
2,782Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±10.9 4% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average |
43.4±2.8 3% below ME |
| Hope and Mexico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±4.8 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+ | 10.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Hope and Mexico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mexico and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,107±$18k 6% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$55,727±$9kLowest 25% 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 | $144,300±$41k 51% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$110,800±$10kLowest 63% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $811±$262 29% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$1,027±$275 10% below ME |
| Hope and Mexico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,239Lowest 59% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$1,961 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±88Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
62.8%±17.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Mexico and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
19.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 10%±7.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±3.6Lowest 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 | — | — | — | #130 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Hope Public Schools | Rumford-Region 9 · RSU 10 |
| 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 | 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.