Compare towns
Limerick vs Hope vs Mapleton vs West Gardiner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Limerick has the highest household income ($101k).
Hope has the most expensive homes ($373k median).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k 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 | Limerick | Hope | Mapleton | West Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,400 |
1,748Lowest |
1,884 |
3,696Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.4±9.2Lowest 10% below ME |
44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
43.5±2.8 about the ME average |
| Hope and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Hope and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
32.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,172±$15kHighest 35% above ME |
$86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$96,172±$30k 29% above ME |
| Limerick and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,400±$29k 9% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$305,100±$42k about the ME average |
| Hope and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,758±$407Highest 54% above ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,087±$150 5% below ME |
| Limerick and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,520 17% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,282 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.1%±9.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| West Gardiner and Limerick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 53% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.2%±6.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±7.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Limerick 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 | — | — | — | #90 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Hope Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| 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 | 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.