Compare towns
Milo vs Mapleton 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
Milo has the most affordable homes ($97k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Limestone has the most renters (38.8% rent).
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 | Milo | Mapleton | Hope | Limestone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,165Highest |
1,884 |
1,748 |
1,579Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.9±7 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
45.3±4.9Highest about the ME average |
| Limestone and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.8%±4.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±4.8 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+ | 18.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Limestone and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Limestone and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,875±$9k 24% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$49,938±$8kLowest 33% below ME |
| Mapleton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $97,100±$27kLowest 67% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$98,400±$18k 67% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $879±$400 23% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$754±$233 34% below ME |
| Hope and Milo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,450 52% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
32%±12.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Milo and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 70% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.2%±2.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 41/MSAD 41 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Hope Public Schools | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools |
| High school in town | Penquis Valley Middle/High School | None in town | None in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | — | 8.6Lowest |
| 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.