What stands out worked out from the figures below

Freedom has the most affordable homes ($191k median).

Rome has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).

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	Freedom	Rome
People
Population	670Lowest	1,215Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+13.7%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	40.1±2.7Lowest 10% below ME	48.3±9.2Highest 8% above ME
	Rome and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.2%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1%	21.4%±6.3Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Freedom and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.1%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4%	24.7%±9.1Highest ME: 22.4%
	Rome and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23.2%Lowest ME: 36.2%	39.1%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8%	5.2%±4.8Highest ME: 5.8%
	Rome and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$64,861±$12kLowest 13% below ME	$77,639±$25kHighest 4% above ME
	Rome and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME	$329,300±$36kHighest 11% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,150±$56 about the ME average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,328Highest 23% below ME	$1,829Lowest 40% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%	54.2%±59.8Highest ME: 48.4%
	Rome and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.5%Highest ME: 10.7%	10.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%	91.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME	1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 29% above ME	30 minLowest 21% above ME
Work from home	8.4%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9%	7.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Freedom and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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.