Compare towns
Mount Vernon vs Appleton vs Chapman vs Hope
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Vernon has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Appleton has the most renters (17.4% rent).
Chapman has the most affordable homes ($186k median).
Hope has the most expensive homes ($373k 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 | Mount Vernon | Appleton | Chapman | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,716 |
1,360 |
388Lowest |
1,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.1±6.2 5% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Appleton and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±1.5 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,395±$6k about the ME average |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
| Chapman and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $264,200±$23k 11% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $893±$168Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
— | $1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
| Hope and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,832 7% below ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Vernon and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 38 | Appleton Public Schools | — | Hope Public Schools |
| 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.