Compare towns
Hope vs Kennebunk vs Appleton
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%).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
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 | Kennebunk | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748 |
11,820Highest |
1,360Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
| Kennebunk 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% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Kennebunk 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% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Kennebunk 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% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Kennebunk 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 |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
$487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
| Kennebunk and Hope 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 |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk 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 | — | #9 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 21 | Appleton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Kennebunk High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— |
| 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.