What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dayton has the highest household income ($114k).

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.

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

Measure	Dayton	Hope
People
Population	2,313Highest	1,748Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	42.1±5.5Lowest 6% below ME	44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average
	Hope and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.4%±4Lowest ME: 18.1%	23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1%
	Hope and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4%	21.1%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2%	47.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8%	2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Dayton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,750±$24kHighest 52% above ME	$86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME
	Dayton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$398,200±$34kHighest 34% above ME	$373,400±$33kLowest 26% above ME
	Dayton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,215±$867Lowest 7% above ME	$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME
	Hope and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,872Highest 28% above ME	$3,842Lowest 27% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4%	37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Dayton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7%	5.3%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.7%Lowest ME: 74.3%	92.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1990Lowest 13 yrs newer than ME	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 26% above ME	20 minLowest 19% below ME
Work from home	16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9%	18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9%
	Hope and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Dayton Public Schools	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.