What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mount Chase has the most people working from home (22.2%).

Franklin has the most expensive homes ($246k 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	Mount Chase	Franklin
People
Population	280Lowest	1,628Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+5.7% ME: +2.6%
Median age	49.9±10.9Highest 11% above ME	46±9.3Lowest about the ME average
	Mount Chase and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.1%±10.6Highest ME: 18.1%	16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Mount Chase and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	28.9%±6.3Highest ME: 22.4%	25.6%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Mount Chase and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.1%Highest ME: 36.2%	28.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 5.8%	4.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8%
	Franklin and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$41,711±$7kLowest 44% below ME	$65,455±$16kHighest 12% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$115,700±$15kLowest 61% below ME	$245,800±$59kHighest 17% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,281±$1kHighest 12% above ME	$888±$306Lowest 22% below ME
	Mount Chase and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,548Lowest 49% below ME	$2,231Highest 27% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	28.6%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%	36.7%±27.8Highest ME: 48.4%
	Franklin and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	30.7%Highest ME: 10.7%	15.7%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90%Highest ME: 74.3%	76.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME	1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 9% above ME	29 minHighest 18% above ME
Work from home	22.2%±12.8Highest ME: 15.9%	12.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Chase and Franklin 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

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.