Compare towns
Hope vs Lowell vs Appleton 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 the shortest commute (20 min average).
Lowell has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Appleton has the most renters (17.4% rent).
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 | Lowell | Appleton | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748 |
378Lowest |
1,360 |
2,651Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
55.5±8.6Highest 24% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
| Lowell 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% |
13.2%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 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% |
31.2%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Lowell 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% |
30%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton 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 |
$50,833±$31kLowest 32% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below 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 |
$209,700±$30kLowest 29% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% 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 |
— | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% 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 |
$1,478Lowest 51% below ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Lowell 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% |
10.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.5% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
31 minHighest 24% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 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 | — | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None 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 | 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.