Compare towns
Mount Vernon vs Readfield vs Upton vs Hope
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Vernon has the most affordable homes ($264k median).
Readfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Readfield | Upton | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,716Lowest |
2,651 |
8,189Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±6.2 21% above U.S. |
48.1±7.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
44.6±3.1Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Readfield 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hope and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mount Vernon and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Readfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,395±$6kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$86,504±$8k 7% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$86,766±$6k 7% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $264,200±$23kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$326,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$373,400±$33k 12% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $893±$168Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$1,125±$844 20% below U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$1,219±$182Highest 14% below U.S. |
| 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 9% below U.S. |
$3,392 9% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,842 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±36.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.3%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±38.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.3%±11.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.3%±14.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±10.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | RSU 38 | RSU 38 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Highest |
11.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.