What stands out worked out from the figures below

Harmony has the most affordable homes ($203k 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	Harmony	Hope
People
Population	974Lowest	1,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.1%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	52.9±2.5Highest 18% above ME	44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average
Kids under 18	16.4%±5.2Lowest ME: 18.1%	23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1%
	Hope and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.9%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4%	21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Harmony and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.1%Lowest ME: 36.2%	47.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8%	2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Harmony and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$54,063±$13kLowest 28% below ME	$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$202,700±$58kLowest 32% below ME	$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,219±$182 7% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,449Lowest 52% below ME	$3,842Highest 27% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.5%±100Highest ME: 48.4%	37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Harmony and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	15.8%Highest ME: 10.7%	5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%	92.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 30% above ME	20 minLowest 19% below ME
Work from home	14.8%±8.2Lowest ME: 15.9%	18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9%
	Hope and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Harmony 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.