What stands out worked out from the figures below

Palermo has the most affordable homes ($260k 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	Palermo	Hope
People
Population	1,473Lowest	1,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	43.4±6.1Lowest 3% below ME	44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average
	Hope and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1%	23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1%
	Hope and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.2%±2Highest ME: 22.4%	21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Palermo and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31.7%Lowest ME: 36.2%	47.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±2Highest ME: 5.8%	2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Palermo and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$89,095±$15kHighest 19% above ME	$86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME
	Palermo and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$259,700±$54kLowest 12% below ME	$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,235±$1kHighest 8% above ME	$1,219±$182Lowest 7% above ME
	Palermo and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,506Lowest 17% below ME	$3,842Highest 27% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	65.6%±100Highest ME: 48.4%	37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Palermo and Hope 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	91.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%	92.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 24% above ME	20 minLowest 19% below ME
Work from home	18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9%	18.3%±10.2Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Palermo and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	RSU 12	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.