What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hope has the most kids (23.3% under 18).

Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).

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	Hope	Eliot
People
Population	1,748Lowest	7,146Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%	+8.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average	50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME
	Eliot and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1%	16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Hope and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4%	27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4%
	Eliot and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.4%Highest ME: 36.2%	43.6%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8%	2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Hope and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME	$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME
	Eliot and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$373,400±$33kLowest 26% above ME	$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,219±$182Lowest 7% above ME	$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,842Lowest 27% above ME	$4,549Highest 50% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4%	55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4%
	Eliot and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.3%Highest ME: 10.7%	4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.9%Highest ME: 74.3%	79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME	1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 19% below ME	23 minHighest 9% below ME
Work from home	18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9%	17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Hope and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#19 of 133 in ME
School district	Hope Public Schools	RSU 35/MSAD 35
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.