What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hope has the oldest population (median age 50.3).

Plainfield has the most people working from home (11.5%).

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	Plainfield
People
Population	587Lowest	1,016Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+0.8% NY: +4.2%
Median age	50.3±8.5Highest 26% above NY	34.5±6.6Lowest 13% below NY
Kids under 18	19.6%±0.7Highest NY: 20.5%	15.6%±2.8Lowest NY: 20.5%
Age 65+	23.7%±10.2Highest NY: 17.9%	14.5%±2.7Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Hope and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.7%Lowest NY: 40.2%	28.2%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±3.1Lowest NY: 7%	14.9%±11.2Highest NY: 7%
	Plainfield and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,188±$13kHighest 16% below NY	$70,673±$6kLowest 18% below NY
	Hope and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$211,300±$106kHighest 50% below NY	$155,100±$17kLowest 63% below NY
	Hope and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,225±$217Highest 24% below NY	$750±$207Lowest 54% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,551Lowest 61% below NY	$2,667Highest 59% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	61.9%±98.1Highest NY: 52.1%	40.6%±43.5Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Hope and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	17.5%Highest NY: 14%	7.8%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.3%Highest NY: 54.3%	87.6%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Lowest 8 yrs newer than NY	1977Highest 18 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 13% below NY	29 minHighest 10% below NY
Work from home	6.6%±3.4Lowest NY: 14.9%	11.5%±4.7Highest NY: 14.9%
	Plainfield and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

NY 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.