What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Searsmont has the most affordable homes ($284k 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	Searsmont
People
Population	1,748Highest	1,646Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%	+0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average	44.5±9.8Lowest about the ME average
	Hope and Searsmont 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%	13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1%
Age 65+	21.1%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4%	21%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Hope and Searsmont 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%	31.6%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8%
	Searsmont 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	$87,000±$20kHighest 16% above ME
	Searsmont 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 26% above ME	$284,000±$31kLowest 4% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME	$940±$311Lowest 17% below ME
	Hope and Searsmont 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	$2,788Lowest 8% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4%	41.4%±41.3Highest ME: 48.4%
	Searsmont 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%	6.6%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.9%Highest ME: 74.3%	90.6%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME	1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 19% below ME	25 minHighest about the ME average
Work from home	18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9%	16.3%±10.1Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Hope and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Hope Public Schools	RSU 71
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.