Compare towns
Hope vs Readfield 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Union has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
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 | Readfield | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748Lowest |
2,651 |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Readfield and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest 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%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Union and Readfield 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 |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$80,724±$9kLowest 8% above ME |
| Hope and Readfield 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 |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
$267,600±$42kLowest 10% below ME |
| Hope and Readfield 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 |
$1,125±$844Lowest about the ME average |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Hope and Union 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 |
$3,392 12% above ME |
$3,276Lowest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Readfield 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% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield 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 | — | #20 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 38 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.