What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Wales has the most affordable homes ($250k 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	Wales
People
Population	1,748Lowest	1,924Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%	-0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average	35.1±4.2Lowest 22% below ME
Kids under 18	23.3%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1%	30.2%±6Highest ME: 18.1%
	Wales and Hope 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%	11%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.4%Highest ME: 36.2%	15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	5.4%±3.3Highest ME: 5.8%
	Wales 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±$6kHighest 16% above ME	$77,004±$5kLowest 3% above ME
	Hope and Wales 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	$250,400±$28kLowest 16% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME	$1,154±$64Lowest about the ME average
	Hope and Wales 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	$2,578Lowest 15% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4%	83.3%±37.5Highest ME: 48.4%
	Wales 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%	25.3%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.9%Highest ME: 74.3%	91.4%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME	1989Lowest 12 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 19% below ME	28 minHighest 14% above ME
Work from home	18.3%±10.2Lowest ME: 15.9%	22.2%±13.9Highest ME: 15.9%
	Wales 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 04
High school in town	None in town	Oak Hill High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.9
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.