What stands out worked out from the figures below

Searsmont has the most affordable homes ($284k 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	Searsmont	Hope
People
Population	1,646Lowest	1,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	44.5±9.8Lowest about the ME average	44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average
	Hope and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1%	23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1%
Age 65+	21%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4%	21.1%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4%
	Hope and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31.6%Lowest ME: 36.2%	47.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8%	2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Searsmont and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$87,000±$20kHighest 16% above ME	$86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME
	Searsmont and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$284,000±$31kLowest 4% below ME	$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$940±$311Lowest 17% below ME	$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME
	Hope and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,788Lowest 8% below ME	$3,842Highest 27% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.4%±41.3Highest ME: 48.4%	37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Searsmont and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.6%Highest ME: 10.7%	5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.6%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	25 minHighest about the ME average	20 minLowest 19% below ME
Work from home	16.3%±10.1Lowest ME: 15.9%	18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9%
	Hope and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	RSU 71	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.