Compare towns
Hope vs Mapleton vs Perham vs Springfield
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 expensive homes ($373k median).
Mapleton has the most renters (20.1% rent).
Perham has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
Springfield has the most homeowners (96.2%).
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 | Perham | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748 |
1,884Highest |
326 |
310Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53±12.9Highest 18% above ME |
52.4±7 17% above ME |
| Perham and Springfield 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% |
19.6%±8.5 ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±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%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.6%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Perham and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
18.7% ME: 36.2% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Perham 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 |
$62,500±$22k 16% below ME |
$60,833±$23kLowest 19% below ME |
| Mapleton and Hope 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±$23k 35% below ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
$122,500±$28k 59% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,641 46% below ME |
$1,067Lowest 65% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
— |
| Hope and Perham 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% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5% ME: 74.3% |
96.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
30 minHighest 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.6%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Mapleton 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 | — | — |
| High school 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.