Compare towns
Dayton vs Mapleton vs Hope
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dayton has the highest household income ($114k).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Hope has the shortest commute (20 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 | Dayton | Mapleton | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,313Highest |
1,884 |
1,748Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±5.5 6% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average |
| Hope and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest 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+ | 14.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Hope and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Dayton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,750±$24kHighest 52% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME |
| Dayton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $398,200±$34kHighest 34% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
| Dayton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,215±$867 7% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
| Hope and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,872Highest 28% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Dayton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Dayton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Hope Public Schools |
| 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 |
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.