Compare towns
Standish vs Mapleton vs Hope vs Steep Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Standish has the highest household income ($105k).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Steep Falls has the oldest housing (typical home built 1970).
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 | Standish | Mapleton | Hope | Steep Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,662Highest |
1,884 |
1,748Lowest |
1,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average |
44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
| Hope and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±9.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Hope and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$80,280±$33kLowest 7% above ME |
| Standish and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$243,400±$31k 18% below ME |
| Hope and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453 14% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
| Steep Falls and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005 about the ME average |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$3,273 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Standish 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | — | — | — |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Hope Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Bonny Eagle High School | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.