Compare towns
Hope vs Poland vs Union
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 expensive homes ($373k median).
Poland has the most people working from home (21.9%).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
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 | Poland | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748Lowest |
5,954Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.9% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average |
44.2±9.4 about the ME average |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Hope and Poland 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% |
21.4%±5.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union 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% |
17.8%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Hope 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% |
23.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Poland and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
$85,557±$23k 14% above ME |
$80,724±$9kLowest 8% above ME |
| Hope and Poland 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 |
$283,600±$44k 4% below ME |
$267,600±$42kLowest 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$1,198±$128 5% above ME |
$1,179±$452Lowest 4% above ME |
| Hope and Poland 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 |
$2,774Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Poland and Hope 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% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Poland 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 | — | #81 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 16 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Poland Regional H S | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2 |
— |
| 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.