What stands out worked out from the figures below

Damariscotta has the most renters (30% rent).

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	Damariscotta	Hope
People
Population	2,192Highest	1,748Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.6%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	49.3±8.6Highest 10% above ME	44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average
	Damariscotta and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1%	23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1%
	Hope and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	31.2%±4.3Highest ME: 22.4%	21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.9%Lowest ME: 36.2%	47.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8%	2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Damariscotta and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$59,423±$11kLowest 20% below ME	$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$363,500±$42kLowest 23% above ME	$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME
	Hope and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,027±$88Lowest 10% below ME	$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME
	Hope and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,806Lowest 25% above ME	$3,842Highest 27% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	68.2%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4%	37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Damariscotta and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.9%Highest ME: 10.7%	5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70%Lowest ME: 74.3%	92.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 6% below ME	20 minLowest 19% below ME
Work from home	13.2%±6.2Lowest ME: 15.9%	18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9%
	Hope and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Great Salt Bay CSD	Hope Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
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.