Compare towns
Union vs Exeter vs Hope
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Union has the most renters (14.1% rent).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k 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 | Union | Exeter | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,663Highest |
1,093Lowest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
| Exeter and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.4% ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Union and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,724±$9kLowest 8% above ME |
$84,408±$12k 13% above ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
| Hope and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
| Hope and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,276 8% above ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | — | Hope Public Schools |
| High school 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.