What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hope has the most expensive homes ($373k median).

Limestone has the most affordable homes ($98k 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	Limestone
People
Population	1,748Highest	1,579Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%	-34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average	45.3±4.9Highest about the ME average
	Limestone 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%	20.7%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Hope and Limestone 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%	21.7%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4%
	Limestone 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%	20.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME	$49,938±$8kLowest 33% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME	$98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME	$754±$233Lowest 34% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,842Highest 27% above ME	$1,332Lowest 56% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4%	32%±12.4Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Hope and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%	16.4%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.9%Highest ME: 74.3%	61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME	1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minHighest 19% below ME	19 minLowest 24% below ME
Work from home	18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9%	14.5%±5.2Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Hope and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Hope Public Schools	ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	ME Sch of Science & Mathematics
Students per teacherat that high school	—	8.6
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.