Compare towns

Hope vs Ossipee vs Appleton

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hope has the most people working from home (18.3%).
Ossipee has the highest household income ($91k).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k 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.

MeasureHopeOssipeeAppleton
People
Population
1,748
4,521Highest
1,360Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+10.5%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+0.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
44.6±3.1Lowest
15% above U.S.
50±4.6Highest
29% above U.S.
49.2±7.4
26% above U.S.
Ossipee and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
23.3%±5.4Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.5%±4.5
U.S.: 22%
15.3%±2.7Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Hope and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
21.1%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
26.3%±5.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
26.1%±9.3
U.S.: 17.2%
Ossipee and Appleton 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
U.S.: 35.7%
24.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
34.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.1%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.9%±1.7
U.S.: 6.4%
3.7%±2.4Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Appleton and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$86,766±$6k
7% above U.S.
$90,521±$22kHighest
12% above U.S.
$53,618±$19kLowest
34% below U.S.
Ossipee 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±$33kHighest
12% above U.S.
$325,500±$23k
about the U.S. average
$235,600±$33kLowest
29% below U.S.
Hope and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,219±$182
14% below U.S.
$1,601±$245Highest
13% above U.S.
$1,104±$82Lowest
22% below U.S.
Ossipee and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,842
23% above U.S.
$4,401Highest
41% above U.S.
$3,588Lowest
15% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
37.8%±38.7Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
72%±16.3
U.S.: 51.1%
85.4%±100Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Appleton and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
5.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
9.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
92.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
82%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
82.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1991Highest
11 yrs newer than U.S.
1979Lowest
1 yr older than U.S.
1988
8 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
20 minLowest
25% below U.S.
33 minHighest
27% above U.S.
30 min
14% above U.S.
Work from home
18.3%±10.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
5.3%±3.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
11.1%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
Hope and Appleton 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 — #100 of 120 in NH —
School district Hope Public Schools Governor Wentworth Regional School District Appleton Public Schools
High school in town None in town None in town None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet None yet None yet

U.S. 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.