Compare towns
Hope vs Somerville 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%).
Somerville has the youngest population (median age 33.5).
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 | Somerville | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748Highest |
837Lowest |
1,360 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
| Appleton 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% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville 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% |
13.7%±2.9Lowest 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Hope 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 |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
| Hope and Somerville 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 |
$218,100±$41kLowest 26% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
| Somerville and Hope 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 |
$2,505Lowest 17% below ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Somerville 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% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 12 | Appleton 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.