Compare towns
Hope vs Lake Arrowhead 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%).
Lake Arrowhead has the youngest population (median age 33).
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 | Lake Arrowhead | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748Lowest |
3,322Highest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9% ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
33±2.4Lowest 26% below ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
| Readfield and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
26.9%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Lake Arrowhead and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
7.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield and Hope 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% |
26.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Lake Arrowhead 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 |
$98,654±$9kHighest 32% above ME |
$86,504±$8kLowest 16% above ME |
| Lake Arrowhead 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±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$267,300±$19kLowest 10% 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 |
$2,288±$327Highest 101% above ME |
$1,125±$844Lowest about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$2,286Lowest 25% below ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±36.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% ME: 74.3% |
93.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
39 minHighest 57% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±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.