Compare towns
Union vs Sidney 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 affordable homes ($268k 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 | Union | Sidney | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,663 |
4,790Highest |
1,748Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average |
| Hope and Sidney 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% |
23.1%±5.6Lowest 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%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Hope 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% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Union and Hope 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 |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
| Hope and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,600±$42kLowest 10% below ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Hope and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,179±$452Lowest 4% above ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
| Sidney 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 |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Union 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 20% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest 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 | — | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 18 | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.