Compare towns
Hope vs Mapleton vs Thomaston 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 min average).
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 | Thomaston | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748 |
1,884 |
2,769Highest |
1,696Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
47.2±8.4 5% above ME |
| Thomaston 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% |
19.2%±5.7Lowest 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% |
35.5%±8.6Highest 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% |
30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Pownal 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 |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% 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 |
$271,700±$10k 8% 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±$182 7% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,262±$343Highest 11% above ME |
$981±$636 14% below ME |
| Thomaston 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 |
$4,487 48% above 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% |
60.5%±23.5 ME: 48.4% |
78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Thomaston 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 19% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest 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 | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #99 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 13 | RSU 05 |
| 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.