Compare towns
Pownal vs Appleton vs Hope
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pownal has the most people working from home (23.9%).
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 | Pownal | Appleton | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,696 |
1,360Lowest |
1,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.2±8.4 5% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Appleton and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Pownal and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Pownal and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,333±$14kHighest 40% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
| Pownal and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,800±$32kHighest 47% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
| Pownal and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $981±$636Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
| Hope and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,212Highest 72% above ME |
$3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.9%±22.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 23.9%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Pownal and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 05 | Appleton Public Schools | 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 |
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.