Compare towns
Hope vs Sidney vs Dedham vs Appleton
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 people working from home (18.3%).
Sidney has the youngest population (median age 43).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k 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 | Sidney | Dedham | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748 |
4,790Highest |
1,656 |
1,360Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
| Appleton and Dedham 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% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham 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% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton 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% ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
| Hope and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
| Dedham and Sidney 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 |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
30 min 22% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Sidney 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 | — | #15 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 18 | Dedham Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.