Compare towns
Hope vs Lisbon 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 the most expensive homes ($373k median).
Lisbon has the youngest population (median age 38.4).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
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 | Lisbon | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748 |
9,750Highest |
1,360Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
| Appleton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Lisbon 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% |
16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Lisbon and Appleton 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 |
$77,819±$9k 4% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
| Hope and Lisbon 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 |
$258,300±$26k 13% below ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
| 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 27% above ME |
$3,324Lowest 9% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Lisbon 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% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
29 min 17% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Lisbon 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 | — | #60 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | Lisbon Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Lisbon High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.8 |
— |
| 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.