Compare towns

Chapman vs Appleton vs Hope

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chapman has the most affordable homes ($186k median).
Appleton has the most renters (17.4% rent).
Hope has the most people working from home (18.3%).

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.

MeasureChapmanAppletonHope
People
Population
388Lowest
1,360
1,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+7.2%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+10.5%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
45.7±11.4
about the ME average
49.2±7.4Highest
10% above ME
44.6±3.1Lowest
about the ME average
Appleton and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
27.6%±5.9Highest
ME: 18.1%
15.3%±2.7Lowest
ME: 18.1%
23.3%±5.4
ME: 18.1%
Chapman and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
27.6%±3.8Highest
ME: 22.4%
26.1%±9.3
ME: 22.4%
21.1%±1.3Lowest
ME: 22.4%
Chapman and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
22.8%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
34.1%
ME: 36.2%
47.4%Highest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.2%±2.6Highest
ME: 5.8%
3.7%±2.4
ME: 5.8%
2.1%±1.3Lowest
ME: 5.8%
Chapman and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$93,125±$17kHighest
25% above ME
$53,618±$19kLowest
28% below ME
$86,766±$6k
16% above ME
Chapman and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$185,700±$22kLowest
37% below ME
$235,600±$33k
21% below ME
$373,400±$33kHighest
26% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$1,104±$82Lowest
3% below ME
$1,219±$182Highest
7% above ME
Hope and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,850Lowest
39% below ME
$3,588
18% above ME
$3,842Highest
27% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±100Lowest
ME: 48.4%
85.4%±100Highest
ME: 48.4%
37.8%±38.7
ME: 48.4%
Appleton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.4%
ME: 10.7%
9.7%Highest
ME: 10.7%
5.3%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
94.5%Highest
ME: 74.3%
82.6%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
92.9%
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1982Lowest
5 yrs newer than ME
1988
11 yrs newer than ME
1991Highest
14 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 min
6% below ME
30 minHighest
23% above ME
20 minLowest
19% below ME
Work from home
4.8%±3.5Lowest
ME: 15.9%
11.1%±3.5
ME: 15.9%
18.3%±10.2Highest
ME: 15.9%
Hope and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district — Appleton Public Schools Hope Public Schools
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.