Compare towns
Hope vs Eliot vs Appleton 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%).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k 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 | Eliot | Appleton | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748 |
7,146Highest |
1,360Lowest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
| Eliot and Appleton 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% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest 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% |
27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Eliot and Appleton 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% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton 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 |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
| Eliot 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 |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,842 27% above ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,392Lowest 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Eliot 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% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
23 min 9% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | — | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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 | 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.