Compare towns
Union vs Hermon 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
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Hope has the most people working from home (18.3%).
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 | Hermon | Appleton | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,663 |
6,727Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
41.1±4.7Lowest 8% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
| Appleton 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% |
21.6%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest 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% |
20.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton 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% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Hermon and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
| Hermon and Hope 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 |
$333,600±$32k 12% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Hope and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
| Hermon and Hope 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 |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Hope 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% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 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 | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #54 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | Hermon Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Hermon High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.6 |
— | — |
| 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.