Compare towns
Chapman vs Appleton vs Hope vs Starks
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 kids (27.6% under 18).
Appleton has the most renters (17.4% rent).
Hope has the most people working from home (18.3%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k 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 | Chapman | Appleton | Hope | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 388Lowest |
1,360 |
1,748Highest |
556 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest 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 |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
| Appleton and Starks 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% |
16.4%±4.4 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%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest 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 |
$63,500±$8k 15% below 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±$22k 37% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$1,063±$301Lowest 7% below ME |
| Hope and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,850 39% below ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below 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% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Starks 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% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
90% 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 |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 6% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest 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 | 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.