Compare towns
Hope vs Mapleton vs New Limerick vs Pownal
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 youngest population (median age 41.8).
New Limerick has the oldest population (median age 58.3).
Pownal has the most people working from home (23.9%).
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 | New Limerick | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748 |
1,884Highest |
372Lowest |
1,696 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+12.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
58.3±10.3Highest 30% above ME |
47.2±8.4 5% above ME |
| New Limerick and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±7.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Pownal and Hope 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% |
37.1%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
18.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| New Limerick 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±$25k 23% above ME |
$53,810±$7kLowest 28% below ME |
$104,333±$14kHighest 40% above ME |
| Pownal 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 |
$196,900±$120k 34% below ME |
$436,800±$32kHighest 47% above ME |
| Pownal and Hope 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 |
$775±$388 32% below ME |
$981±$636 14% below ME |
| Hope and Pownal 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,221Lowest 60% below ME |
$5,212Highest 72% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±52.5 ME: 48.4% |
78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Hope 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
15.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80% ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 19% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
5.2%±7.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
23.9%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Pownal and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.