Compare towns
Hope vs Mapleton vs Sebago 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 the shortest commute (20 min average).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Sebago has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
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 | Sebago | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748 |
1,884 |
2,073Highest |
1,716Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
40.7±3.9Lowest 9% below ME |
47.1±6.2Highest 5% above ME |
| Mount Vernon 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% |
19.8%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.2 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% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±1.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
23.7%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% |
2.7%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Sebago 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 |
$78,438±$15k 5% above ME |
$74,395±$6kLowest 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±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$298,000±$46k about the ME average |
$264,200±$23k 11% below ME |
| Hope and Sebago 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 |
$1,533±$292Highest 35% above ME |
$893±$168 22% below ME |
| Sebago and Hope 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 |
$2,543 16% below ME |
$2,832 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.3%±30.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Sebago 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% ME: 10.7% |
13.7%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% |
88.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1975Lowest 2 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 |
37 minHighest 52% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±5.8 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 | Sebago Public Schools | 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.