What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Mount Vernon has the most people working from home (28.3%).

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	Mount Vernon
People
Population	1,748Highest	1,716Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%	+4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average	47.1±6.2Highest 5% above ME
	Mount Vernon 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%±5.2Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Hope and Mount Vernon 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%	26.5%±1.5Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.4%Highest ME: 36.2%	42.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8%	1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Hope and Mount Vernon 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	$74,395±$6kLowest about the ME average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME	$264,200±$23kLowest 11% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME	$893±$168Lowest 22% below ME
	Hope and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,842Highest 27% above ME	$2,832Lowest 7% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4%	26.9%±36.9Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Hope and Mount Vernon 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%	89.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME	1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 19% below ME	32 minHighest 29% above ME
Work from home	18.3%±10.2Lowest ME: 15.9%	28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Vernon 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 38
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.