Compare towns
Hope vs Readfield vs Windsor vs Appleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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%).
Windsor has the most renters (42.2% rent).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
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 | Readfield | Windsor | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748 |
2,651 |
3,554Highest |
1,360Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest 15% above U.S. |
48.1±7.6 24% above U.S. |
44.8±6.5 15% above U.S. |
49.2±7.4Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Appleton and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hope and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±9.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Appleton 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 7% above U.S. |
$86,504±$8k 7% above U.S. |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$53,618±$19k 34% below U.S. |
| 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 12% above U.S. |
$326,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
$207,500±$31kLowest 38% below U.S. |
$235,600±$33k 29% below U.S. |
| 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 14% below U.S. |
$1,125±$844 20% below U.S. |
$1,026±$89Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,104±$82 22% below U.S. |
| Hope and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,842 23% above U.S. |
$3,392Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$5,209Highest 67% above U.S. |
$3,588 15% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.3%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.5%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.3%±14.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 38 | — | Appleton Public Schools |
| 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 History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.