What stands out worked out from the figures below

Steep Falls has the most kids (22.9% under 18).

Franklin has the most people working from home (12.2%).

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	Steep Falls	Franklin
People
Population	1,861Highest	1,628Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.4%Highest ME: +2.6%	+5.7%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	44.1±6.5Lowest about the ME average	46±9.3Highest about the ME average
	Franklin and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1%	16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Steep Falls and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4%	25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%	28.5%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8%	4.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8%
	Franklin and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$80,280±$33kHighest 7% above ME	$65,455±$16kLowest 12% below ME
	Steep Falls and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$243,400±$31kLowest 18% below ME	$245,800±$59kHighest 17% below ME
	Franklin and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME	$888±$306Lowest 22% below ME
	Steep Falls and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,273Highest 8% above ME	$2,231Lowest 27% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4%	36.7%±27.8Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Steep Falls and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.2%Lowest ME: 10.7%	15.7%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.2%Highest ME: 74.3%	76.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME	1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 25% above ME	29 minLowest 18% above ME
Work from home	4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9%	12.2%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9%
	Franklin and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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.