Compare towns
Hope vs Belgrade vs Mount Vernon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Belgrade has the highest household income ($88k).
Mount Vernon has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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.
| Measure | Hope | Belgrade | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748 |
3,351Highest |
1,716Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
47.1±6.2 5% above ME |
| Belgrade and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±1.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Vernon and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4% ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$88,338±$13kHighest 18% above ME |
$74,395±$6kLowest about the ME average |
| Belgrade and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
$264,200±$23kLowest 11% below ME |
| Hope and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
$893±$168 22% below ME |
| Hope and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$2,859 6% below ME |
$2,832Lowest 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Vernon and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #71 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 18 | RSU 38 |
| 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.