Compare towns
Pownal vs York 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 kids (24.2% under 18).
York has the most expensive homes ($636k 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 | York | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,696Lowest |
13,986Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.2±8.4 5% above ME |
49.5±5.2Highest 10% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| York 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% |
21.1%±3.3Lowest 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% |
27.9%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| York 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% ME: 36.2% |
53.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Pownal and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,333±$14k 40% above ME |
$121,250±$25kHighest 62% above ME |
$86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME |
| York and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,800±$32k 47% above ME |
$636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME |
$373,400±$33kLowest 26% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $981±$636Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,490±$336Highest 31% above ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
| York and Hope 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 |
$4,658 53% above ME |
$3,842Lowest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.5%±10.8 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Pownal and York 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% |
5.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 23.9%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| York and Pownal 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 | — | #13 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 05 | York Public Schools | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | York High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.6 |
— |
| 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.