Compare towns
Pownal vs Durham 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 expensive homes ($437k median).
Durham has the most affordable homes ($322k median).
Hope has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Durham | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,696Lowest |
4,262Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.2±8.4Highest 5% above ME |
42.6±5.9Lowest 5% below ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
| Pownal and Hope 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% |
19.7%±4.6Lowest 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%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Pownal and Hope 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% |
34.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Durham and Pownal 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 |
$99,181±$5k 33% above ME |
$86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME |
| Pownal and Durham 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 |
$322,200±$34kLowest 9% above 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 |
— | $1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
| Hope and Pownal 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 |
$3,781Lowest 25% above ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 23.9%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Pownal and Durham 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 | — | #14 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 05 | 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.