Compare towns
Mount Vernon vs Appleton vs Readfield 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 affordable homes ($236k median).
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 | Mount Vernon | Appleton | Readfield | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,716 |
1,360Lowest |
2,651Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest 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 |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Appleton and Readfield 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% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±1.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Vernon and Appleton 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Readfield 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 |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
| Hope and Readfield 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±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Hope and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $893±$168Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
| Hope and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,832Lowest 7% below ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±36.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 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% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 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 |
30 min 20% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Vernon and Readfield 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 | — | — | #20 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 38 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 38 | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
— |
| 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.