What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Newcastle has the most renters (19.4% rent).

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	Newcastle
People
Population	1,748Lowest	1,913Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%	+5.5%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average	49.4±7Highest 10% above ME
	Newcastle 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%	17.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Hope and Newcastle 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%	24.4%±1.4Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.4%Highest ME: 36.2%	45.1%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	4.2%±2Highest ME: 5.8%
	Newcastle and Hope 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	$89,868±$33kHighest 20% above ME
	Newcastle 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	$398,000±$41kHighest 34% above ME
	Newcastle and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,219±$182Lowest 7% above ME	$1,363±$81Highest 20% above ME
	Newcastle and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,842Lowest 27% above ME	$4,256Highest 40% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4%	5.8%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Hope and Newcastle 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%	3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.9%Highest ME: 74.3%	80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME	1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minHighest 19% below ME	17 minLowest 30% below ME
Work from home	18.3%±10.2Lowest ME: 15.9%	20.2%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9%
	Newcastle 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	—
High school 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.