Compare towns
Danforth vs Hope vs Appleton vs Weston
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 ($90k median).
Hope has the most people working from home (18.3%).
Weston has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Danforth | Hope | Appleton | Weston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666 |
1,748Highest |
1,360 |
275Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 53.1±4.4 19% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
55.1±14Highest 23% above ME |
| Weston and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±7.2 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+ | 26.1%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
23.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±4.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $48,125±$8kLowest 36% below ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$58,942±$7k 21% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $89,900±$36kLowest 70% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$171,700±$26k 42% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$29Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% 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 | $1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$1,500 51% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.1%±57.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Weston and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
19.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Lowest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 15% above ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±12.7 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 | — | Hope Public Schools | Appleton 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.