Compare towns
Hope vs Denmark vs Readfield
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%).
Denmark has the most affordable homes ($250k median).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Denmark | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748 |
1,054Lowest |
2,651Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
54.4±5Highest 21% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
| Denmark and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Readfield 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% |
31.8%±7.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Denmark and Readfield 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% |
29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Denmark 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±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
$64,167±$10kLowest 14% below ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
| Hope and Readfield 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 |
$250,000±$68kLowest 16% below ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
| Hope and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$1,409±$207Highest 24% above ME |
$1,125±$844Lowest about the ME average |
| Denmark and Hope 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 |
$2,259Lowest 26% below ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
90.6%±31Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Denmark 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% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.7% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
12.7%±6.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield 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 | — | — | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | — | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
| 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.