Compare towns
Hope vs Mapleton vs Gorham vs Camden
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 homeowners (92.9%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
Camden has the oldest population (median age 52.2).
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 | Mapleton | Gorham | Camden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748Lowest |
1,884 |
18,300Highest |
5,242 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
52.2±6.5Highest 17% above ME |
| Camden 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%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±5.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Mapleton 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%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
62.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$82,344±$15kLowest 10% above ME |
| Gorham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
$520,600±$70kHighest 76% above ME |
| Camden and Gorham 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,269±$354 11% above ME |
| Gorham and Camden 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,825 59% above ME |
$5,832Highest 92% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
39.9%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Camden and Gorham 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% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
73.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
22 min 11% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±8.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Camden and Gorham 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 | — | — | #24 of 133 in ME | #11 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 28/MSAD 28 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.9 |
— |
| 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.