What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mexico has the most affordable homes ($111k median).

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

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	Mexico	Hope
People
Population	2,782Highest	1,748Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	43.4±2.8Lowest 3% below ME	44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average
	Hope and Mexico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.8%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1%	23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1%
	Hope and Mexico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4%	21.1%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4%
	Hope and Mexico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	13%Lowest ME: 36.2%	47.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8%	2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Mexico and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$55,727±$9kLowest 25% below ME	$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$110,800±$10kLowest 63% below ME	$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,027±$275Lowest 10% below ME	$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME
	Hope and Mexico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,961Lowest 35% below ME	$3,842Highest 27% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.8%±17.8Highest ME: 48.4%	37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Mexico and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	19.7%Highest ME: 10.7%	5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77%Lowest ME: 74.3%	92.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest about the ME average	20 minLowest 19% below ME
Work from home	5.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9%	18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9%
	Hope and Mexico 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	#130 of 133 in ME	—
School district	Rumford-Region 9 · RSU 10	Hope Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
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.