Compare towns
Hope vs Mapleton vs Peru vs Mount Vernon
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 renters (20.1% rent).
Peru has the most affordable homes ($141k median).
Mount Vernon has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Peru | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748 |
1,884Highest |
1,501Lowest |
1,716 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
48±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
47.1±6.2 5% above ME |
| Peru and Mount Vernon 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% |
20.8%±4 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.2Lowest 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% |
21.7%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±1.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Vernon and Peru 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% |
21.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Peru 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 |
$66,827±$19kLowest 11% below ME |
$74,395±$6k about the ME average |
| 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 |
$141,300±$38kLowest 52% below ME |
$264,200±$23k 11% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$723±$16 37% below ME |
$893±$168 22% below ME |
| Hope and Mount Vernon 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 |
$1,799 41% below ME |
$2,832 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
21.7%±37.5 ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Mount Vernon 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% |
9.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.2% ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Vernon 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 56 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None 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.