Compare towns
Union vs Lovell 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).
Lovell has the most people working from home (21.8%).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k 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 | Lovell | Appleton | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,663Highest |
1,353Lowest |
1,360 |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
52.2±3.5Highest 17% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
| Lovell and Appleton 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% |
15.4%±4.2 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% |
26.5%±3.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Lovell and Appleton 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% |
36.1% 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% |
6.3%±4.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Lovell 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 |
$80,625±$20k 8% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
| Hope and Union 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 |
$295,000±$47k about the ME average |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Hope and Lovell 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 |
$1,419±$178Highest 25% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
| Lovell 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 |
$1,480Lowest 51% 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% |
45.3%±29.3 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Lovell 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% |
10% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
88.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
31 minHighest 28% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
21.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Lovell and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 72/MSAD 72 | Appleton Public Schools | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.