Compare towns
Mount Vernon vs Mapleton vs Hope vs Chesterville
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%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% under 18).
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 | Mapleton | Hope | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,716 |
1,884Highest |
1,748 |
1,397Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.1±6.2Highest 5% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
| Mount Vernon and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±5.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Hope 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Chesterville 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$61,635±$10kLowest 18% 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 | $264,200±$23k 11% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $893±$168 22% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$1,088±$73 4% below ME |
| Hope and Chesterville 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$2,194 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Mount Vernon 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest 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 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | 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.