Compare towns
Hope vs Mapleton vs West Bath
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).
West Bath has the oldest population (median age 54.2).
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 | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest 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% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
| West Bath 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 |
$422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
| West Bath and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,112±$327 about the ME average |
| Hope and West Bath 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 |
$3,516 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| West Bath 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and West Bath 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 | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.