Compare towns

Danforth 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

Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
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.

MeasureDanforthAppletonHope
People
Population
452Lowest
1,360
1,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+7.2%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+10.5%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
51.9±5.3Highest
16% above ME
49.2±7.4
10% above ME
44.6±3.1Lowest
about the ME average
Danforth and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
14.8%±6.6Lowest
ME: 18.1%
15.3%±2.7
ME: 18.1%
23.3%±5.4Highest
ME: 18.1%
Hope and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
22.6%±5.8
ME: 22.4%
26.1%±9.3Highest
ME: 22.4%
21.1%±1.3Lowest
ME: 22.4%
Appleton and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
4.5%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
34.1%
ME: 36.2%
47.4%Highest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.4%±2.9
ME: 5.8%
3.7%±2.4Highest
ME: 5.8%
2.1%±1.3Lowest
ME: 5.8%
Appleton and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$42,264±$11kLowest
43% below ME
$53,618±$19k
28% below ME
$86,766±$6kHighest
16% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$85,200±$20kLowest
71% below ME
$235,600±$33k
21% below ME
$373,400±$33kHighest
26% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$629±$22Lowest
45% below ME
$1,104±$82
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 —
$3,588Lowest
18% above ME
$3,842Highest
27% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
11.5%±71.8Lowest
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
12%Highest
ME: 10.7%
9.7%
ME: 10.7%
5.3%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
79.4%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
82.6%
ME: 74.3%
92.9%Highest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1981Lowest
4 yrs newer than ME
1988
11 yrs newer than ME
1991Highest
14 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
9% above ME
30 minHighest
23% above ME
20 minLowest
19% below ME
Work from home
3%±2.8Lowest
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.