What stands out worked out from the figures below

Phippsburg has the highest household income ($108k).

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	Phippsburg	Hope
People
Population	2,238Highest	1,748Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	54.3±6.3Highest 21% above ME	44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average
Kids under 18	11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1%	23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1%
Age 65+	34.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4%	21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.7%Lowest ME: 36.2%	47.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8%	2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Phippsburg and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME	$86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME
	Phippsburg and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$335,800±$47kLowest 13% above ME	$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME
	Hope and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,022±$346Lowest 10% below ME	$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME
	Hope and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,034Lowest 33% below ME	$3,842Highest 27% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	35.5%±98.7Lowest ME: 48.4%	37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4%
	Hope and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.5%Highest ME: 10.7%	5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%	92.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minHighest 13% below ME	20 minLowest 19% below ME
Work from home	11.7%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9%	18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9%
	Hope and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	RSU 01 - LKRSU	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.