Compare towns
Hope vs Exeter 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%).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k 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 | Exeter | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748 |
1,093Lowest |
2,651Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
| Exeter 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% |
9%±3.1Lowest 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% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter 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% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Exeter 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 |
$84,408±$12kLowest 13% above 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 |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% 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±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
| Hope and Readfield 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 |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Exeter 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% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest 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.