Compare towns
Hope vs Mapleton vs Unity vs Camden
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 most affordable homes ($192k median).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Camden has the most expensive homes ($521k median).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Camden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748Lowest |
1,884 |
1,858 |
5,242Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
52.2±6.5Highest 17% above ME |
| Camden 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±5.6 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
62.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$82,344±$15k 10% above 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±$33k 26% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$520,600±$70kHighest 76% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,269±$354Highest 11% above ME |
| Camden 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 |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$5,832Highest 92% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
39.9%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Camden 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
73.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
22 min 11% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±8.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Camden 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 | — | — | — | #11 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 28/MSAD 28 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
— |
| 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.