What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mount Holly has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).

Painted Post has the most affordable homes ($156k 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 Holly	Painted Post
People
Population	1,415Lowest	1,824Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	53.5±8.2Highest 38% above U.S.	45.7±5.2Lowest 17% above U.S.
	Mount Holly and Painted Post are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.2%±5Highest U.S.: 22%	16.3%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Mount Holly and Painted Post are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	28%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	21.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Mount Holly and Painted Post are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	36.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	2.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Painted Post and Mount Holly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$78,015±$19kHighest 3% below U.S.	$62,891±$14kLowest 22% below U.S.
	Mount Holly and Painted Post are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$296,900±$40kHighest 11% below U.S.	$155,900±$13kLowest 53% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,534±$1kHighest 9% above U.S.	$839±$281Lowest 41% below U.S.
	Mount Holly and Painted Post are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,926Lowest 26% above U.S.	$5,442Highest 74% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	65.9%±65.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	63.4%±18.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Mount Holly and Painted Post are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	63.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S.	1946Lowest 34 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	17 minLowest 37% below U.S.
Work from home	12.2%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	13.8%±8.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Painted Post and Mount Holly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Ludlow Mt. Holly Unified Union School District #83	—
High school in town	None in town	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.