What stands out worked out from the figures below

Stoddard has the oldest population (median age 53).

Hope has the most people working from home (18.3%).

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	Stoddard	Hope
People
Population	1,072Lowest	1,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+10.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	53±4Highest 36% above U.S.	44.6±3.1Lowest 15% above U.S.
Kids under 18	17.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	23.3%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Hope and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	21.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Stoddard and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	47.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.5%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Stoddard and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$94,904±$11kHighest 18% above U.S.	$86,766±$6kLowest 7% above U.S.
	Stoddard and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$330,300±$20kLowest about the U.S. average	$373,400±$33kHighest 12% above U.S.
	Hope and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$895±$751Lowest 37% below U.S.	$1,219±$182Highest 14% below U.S.
	Hope and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,316Highest 38% above U.S.	$3,842Lowest 23% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.6%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1%	37.8%±38.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Stoddard 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 U.S.: 12.5%	5.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	92.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S.	1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 27% above U.S.	20 minLowest 25% below U.S.
Work from home	9.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	18.3%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Hope and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Stoddard School District	Hope Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.