What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dresden has the most affordable homes ($240k 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	Dresden	Hope
People
Population	1,645Lowest	1,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME	44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average
	Dresden and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1%	23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1%
	Hope and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.8%±8Highest ME: 22.4%	21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Dresden and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%	47.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8%	2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Dresden and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$74,844±$22kLowest about the ME average	$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME
	Hope and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$240,100±$29kLowest 19% below ME	$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,194±$502Lowest 5% above ME	$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME
	Hope and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,500Lowest 18% below ME	$3,842Highest 27% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4%	37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4%
	Hope and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.3%Highest ME: 10.7%	5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%	92.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 35% above ME	20 minLowest 19% below ME
Work from home	6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9%	18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9%
	Hope and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	RSU 02	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.