What stands out worked out from the figures below

Edgecomb has the highest household income ($109k).

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	Edgecomb	Hope
People
Population	1,251Lowest	1,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	41±8.8Lowest 8% below ME	44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average
	Hope and Edgecomb are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.9%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1%	23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1%
	Hope and Edgecomb are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.5%±7.2Highest ME: 22.4%	21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Edgecomb and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%	47.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8%±6.5Highest ME: 5.8%	2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Edgecomb and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$108,750±$18kHighest 46% above ME	$86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME
	Edgecomb and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$348,400±$36kLowest 17% above ME	$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME
	Hope and Edgecomb are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,219±$182 7% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,577Lowest 18% above ME	$3,842Highest 27% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	21.1%±43.8Lowest ME: 48.4%	37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4%
	Hope and Edgecomb are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.6%Highest ME: 10.7%	5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.7%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	22 minHighest 10% below ME	20 minLowest 19% below ME
Work from home	12.3%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9%	18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9%
	Hope and Edgecomb are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Edgecomb Public Schools	Hope Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.