Compare towns
Hope vs Mapleton vs Gorham 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).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
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 | Gorham | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748Lowest |
1,884 |
18,300Highest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0% 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 |
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%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest 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% |
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% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%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% |
3.3%±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 |
$86,504±$8kLowest 16% 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±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
| Gorham and Hope 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 |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,392 12% 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%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Hope 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% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 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 |
27 min 10% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield 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 | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Gorham High School | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.9Highest |
11.5Lowest |
| 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.