Compare towns
Madison vs Hope vs Limestone
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madison has the most renters (61.1% rent).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Limestone has the most affordable homes ($98k 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 | Madison | Hope | Limestone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,676Highest |
1,748 |
1,579Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±12.3 about the ME average |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
45.3±4.9Highest about the ME average |
| Limestone and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±7.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Limestone and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,698±$20k 17% below ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
$49,938±$8kLowest 33% below ME |
| Hope and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$59k 45% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$218 25% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$754±$233Lowest 34% below ME |
| Hope and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,740 43% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.5%±13.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
32%±12.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 38.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 24 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 25% above ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.2%±14.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±5.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison 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 | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.6 |
| 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.