What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).

Milbridge has the most affordable homes ($240k 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	Milbridge
People
Population	1,748Highest	1,222Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%	+1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average	50.3±6.2Highest 12% above ME
	Milbridge 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%	22.5%±4.9Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Hope and Milbridge 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%	30.2%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.4%Highest ME: 36.2%	24.7%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8%	1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Hope and Milbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME	$60,536±$16kLowest 19% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME	$240,400±$31kLowest 19% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME	$619±$186Lowest 46% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,842Highest 27% above ME	$2,022Lowest 33% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4%	45.8%±22.6Highest ME: 48.4%
	Milbridge and Hope 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%	18.4%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.9%Highest ME: 74.3%	85.1%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME	1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minHighest 19% below ME	18 minLowest 26% below ME
Work from home	18.3%±10.2Lowest ME: 15.9%	18.9%±6.1Highest ME: 15.9%
	Milbridge and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Hope Public Schools	RSU 37/MSAD 37
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.