Compare towns
Palmyra vs Hope vs Porter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Palmyra has the most affordable homes ($155k median).
Hope has the most expensive homes ($373k median).
Porter has the oldest housing (typical home built 1978).
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 | Palmyra | Hope | Porter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,209Highest |
1,748 |
1,746Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.1±4.8Lowest 17% below ME |
44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average |
40.9±7.9 9% below ME |
| Hope and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Palmyra and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±5.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Hope and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Palmyra and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,543±$17k 19% below ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
$60,417±$9kLowest 19% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$226,100±$20k 24% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$1,841 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.2%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
43.9%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Palmyra and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.1% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.5%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Hope Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.