What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hope has the most people working from home (18.3%).

Sidney has the most affordable homes ($336k 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	Sidney
People
Population	1,748Lowest	4,790Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%	+10.4%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average	43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME
	Hope and Sidney 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%	23.1%±5.6Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Hope and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.1%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4%	18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Hope and Sidney 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%	33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8%	1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Hope and Sidney 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	$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME
	Hope and Sidney 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	$336,200±$34kLowest 13% above ME
	Hope and Sidney 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	$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME
	Sidney and Hope 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	$2,474Lowest 19% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4%	16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Hope and Sidney 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%	6.4%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.9%Highest ME: 74.3%	89.4%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1991Lowest 14 yrs newer than ME	1996Highest 19 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%	14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Hope and Sidney 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	—	#15 of 133 in ME
School district	Hope Public Schools	RSU 18
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.