Compare towns
Hope vs Jay vs Appleton vs Mount Vernon
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%).
Jay has the oldest population (median age 52.1).
Appleton has the most renters (17.4% rent).
Mount Vernon has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Jay | Appleton | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748Highest |
471Lowest |
1,360 |
1,716 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest 15% above U.S. |
52.1±10.5Highest 34% above U.S. |
49.2±7.4 26% above U.S. |
47.1±6.2 21% above U.S. |
| Jay 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 U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Hope and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±9.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mount Vernon 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Appleton and Hope 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 7% above U.S. |
$74,792±$25k 7% below U.S. |
$53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$74,395±$6k 8% below U.S. |
| Hope and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,400±$33kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$234,200±$45kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$235,600±$33k 29% below U.S. |
$264,200±$23k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182Highest 14% below U.S. |
— | $1,104±$82 22% below U.S. |
$893±$168Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Hope and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,842Highest 23% above U.S. |
$3,588 15% above U.S. |
$3,588 15% above U.S. |
$2,832Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
26.9%±36.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Jay 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% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±13.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±11.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mount Vernon and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Hope Public Schools | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| 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.