Compare towns
Hope vs Unity vs Readfield
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 kids (23.3% under 18).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748Lowest |
1,858 |
2,651Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
| Readfield and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Readfield 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield 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% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
| Hope and Readfield 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 |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
| Hope and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
| Hope and Readfield 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 |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield 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 | — | — | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Highest |
11.5Lowest |
| 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.