Compare towns
Hope vs Mapleton vs Belgrade 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%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Belgrade has the most homeowners (93.8%).
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 | Mapleton | Belgrade | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748Lowest |
1,884 |
3,351Highest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
| Readfield and Belgrade 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%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Belgrade 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade and Readfield 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% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
$86,504±$8kLowest 16% above ME |
| Mapleton and Belgrade 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$312,200±$44k 5% above 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$857±$108 25% 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,859 6% below ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9 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% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Belgrade 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 | — | — | #71 of 133 in ME | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None 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.