Compare towns
Hope vs Thomaston vs Mount Vernon
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%).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Mount Vernon has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Thomaston | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748 |
2,769Highest |
1,716Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
47.1±6.2 5% above ME |
| Thomaston and Mount Vernon 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% |
19.2%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Mount Vernon 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% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±1.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Thomaston and Mount Vernon 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% |
30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Hope and Thomaston 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 |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% below ME |
$74,395±$6k about the ME average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$271,700±$10k 8% below ME |
$264,200±$23kLowest 11% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$1,262±$343Highest 11% above ME |
$893±$168Lowest 22% below ME |
| Thomaston and Hope 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 |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
$2,832Lowest 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±36.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Thomaston and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 19% below ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Vernon 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 | — | #99 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 13 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.