What stands out worked out from the figures below

Buckfield has the most affordable homes ($228k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Buckfield	Hope
People
Population	2,403Highest	1,748Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	37.7±10.1Lowest 16% below ME	44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average
	Hope and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	25.7%±7.7Highest ME: 18.1%	23.3%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Buckfield and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	13.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4%	21.1%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%	47.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8%	2.1%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8%
	Hope and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$77,917±$41kLowest 4% above ME	$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME
	Hope and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$227,700±$18kLowest 23% below ME	$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$521±$33Lowest 54% below ME	$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,860Lowest 6% below ME	$3,842Highest 27% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4%	37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4%
	Hope and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.8%Highest ME: 10.7%	5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.9%Highest ME: 74.3%	92.9%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 25% above ME	20 minLowest 19% below ME
Work from home	15.6%±12.5Lowest ME: 15.9%	18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9%
	Hope and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	RSU 10	Hope Public Schools
High school in town	Buckfield Jr-Sr High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	10.2	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.