Compare towns
Hope vs Cherryfield vs Pownal
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%).
Cherryfield has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Pownal has the most people working from home (23.9%).
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 | Cherryfield | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748Highest |
809Lowest |
1,696 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
58.1±4.2Highest 30% above ME |
47.2±8.4 5% above ME |
| Cherryfield and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
11.6%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Pownal and Hope 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% |
32.4%±9.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Cherryfield and Pownal 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% |
21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Pownal 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 |
$37,115±$17kLowest 50% below ME |
$104,333±$14kHighest 40% above ME |
| Pownal 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±$33k 26% above ME |
$195,800±$53kLowest 34% below ME |
$436,800±$32kHighest 47% above ME |
| Pownal and Hope 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 |
$428±$107Lowest 62% below ME |
$981±$636 14% below ME |
| Hope and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,842 27% above ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$5,212Highest 72% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
26.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
18.2%±10.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
23.9%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Pownal and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Hope Public Schools | Cherryfield Public Schools | RSU 05 |
| 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.