Compare towns
Hope vs Strong vs Danforth
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%).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($90k 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 | Strong | Danforth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748Highest |
1,249 |
666Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
53.1±4.4Highest 19% above ME |
| Danforth and Strong 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% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Strong 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%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Danforth and Strong 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% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$48,125±$8k 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$89,900±$36kLowest 70% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$629±$29Lowest 45% below ME |
| Hope and Strong 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 |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.1%±57.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Danforth 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% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
28 min 15% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | — |
| 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.