Compare towns
Mount Vernon vs Wayne 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 affordable homes ($264k median).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
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 | Wayne | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,716 |
1,101Lowest |
1,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.1±6.2 5% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Wayne 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% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest 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%±1.5 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne 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%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% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,395±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
| Wayne 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±$23kLowest 11% below ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Hope and Wayne 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 |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
| Hope and Wayne 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 |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Highest 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% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8%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 |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Vernon and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 38 | RSU 38 | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.