Compare towns
Hope vs Danforth vs Readfield 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 the shortest commute (20 min average).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Pownal has the highest household income ($104k).
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 | Danforth | Readfield | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748 |
452Lowest |
2,651Highest |
1,696 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | 0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
51.9±5.3Highest 16% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
47.2±8.4 5% above ME |
| Danforth and Readfield 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% |
14.8%±6.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 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% |
22.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
23.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Pownal and Danforth 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% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
49%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Pownal and Readfield 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 |
$42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above 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 |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above 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 |
$629±$22Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
$981±$636 14% below ME |
| Hope and Readfield 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 |
— | $3,392Lowest 12% above ME |
$5,212Highest 72% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
23.9%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Pownal 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 | — | — | #20 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | — | RSU 38 | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
— |
| 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.