What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dixmont has the most affordable homes ($191k 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	Dixmont	Hope
People
Population	1,207Lowest	1,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	50.9±4.7Highest 14% above ME	44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average
	Dixmont and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.9%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1%	23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1%
	Hope and Dixmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4%	21.1%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4%
	Hope and Dixmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.7%Lowest ME: 36.2%	47.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8%	2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Dixmont and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,952±$14kLowest about the ME average	$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME
	Hope and Dixmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$190,700±$22kLowest 36% below ME	$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,348±$62Highest 18% above ME	$1,219±$182Lowest 7% above ME
	Dixmont and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,548Lowest 49% below ME	$3,842Highest 27% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.2%±70.1Highest ME: 48.4%	37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Dixmont and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.9%Highest ME: 10.7%	5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.7%Lowest ME: 74.3%	92.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME	1991Lowest 14 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 40% above ME	20 minLowest 19% below ME
Work from home	21.9%±11.3Highest ME: 15.9%	18.3%±10.2Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Dixmont and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	RSU 19	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.