What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mount Vernon has the most people working from home (28.3%).

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	Mount Vernon	Hope
People
Population	1,716Lowest	1,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	47.1±6.2Highest 5% above ME	44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average
	Mount Vernon and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.7%±5.2Lowest ME: 18.1%	23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1%
	Hope and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.5%±1.5Highest ME: 22.4%	21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%	47.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8%	2.1%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8%
	Hope and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$74,395±$6kLowest about the ME average	$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$264,200±$23kLowest 11% below ME	$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$893±$168Lowest 22% below ME	$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME
	Hope and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,832Lowest 7% below ME	$3,842Highest 27% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	26.9%±36.9Lowest ME: 48.4%	37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4%
	Hope and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7%	5.3%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%	92.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 29% above ME	20 minLowest 19% below ME
Work from home	28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9%	18.3%±10.2Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Vernon and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	RSU 38	Hope Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.