Compare towns
Hope vs Cornish vs Appleton vs Camden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Cornish has the highest household income ($92k).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Camden has the most expensive homes ($521k median).
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 | Cornish | Appleton | Camden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748 |
1,816 |
1,360Lowest |
5,242Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest 15% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
49.2±7.4 26% above U.S. |
52.2±6.5 34% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Camden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Hope and Camden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±9.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
38%±6.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,766±$6k 7% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$82,344±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Cornish 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 12% above U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$235,600±$33kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$520,600±$70kHighest 56% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182 14% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,104±$82Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,269±$354Highest 10% below U.S. |
| Camden and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,842 23% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$5,832Highest 87% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Camden and Hope 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 | — | — | — | #11 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | Cornish School District | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 28/MSAD 28 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.