Compare towns
Hope vs Starks 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%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Appleton has the most renters (17.4% rent).
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 | Starks | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748Highest |
556Lowest |
1,360 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
| Appleton and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Starks 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% |
20.3%±2.2Lowest 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% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest 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 |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$1,063±$301Lowest 7% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
| Hope and Appleton 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 |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Starks 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% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest 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 | — | Appleton Public Schools |
| High school 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.