Compare towns
Mapleton vs Newcastle vs Hope
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Newcastle has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
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 | Mapleton | Newcastle | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,913Highest |
1,748Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.4±7Highest 10% above ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
| Newcastle and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
17.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest 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+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±1.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.1% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$89,868±$33k 20% above ME |
$86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME |
| Mapleton and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$398,000±$41kHighest 34% above ME |
$373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
| Newcastle and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,363±$81Highest 20% above ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
| Newcastle and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,256Highest 40% above ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
5.8%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
17 minLowest 30% below ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Newcastle and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | Hope Public Schools |
| 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.