What stands out worked out from the figures below

Trenton has the most renters (22.6% rent).

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	Trenton	Hope
People
Population	1,599Lowest	1,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	43.5±7.7Lowest about the ME average	44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average
	Hope and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.1%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1%	23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1%
	Hope and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.5%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4%	21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Trenton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%	47.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8%	2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Trenton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$60,455±$13kLowest 19% below ME	$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$357,400±$36kLowest 20% above ME	$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME
	Hope and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,102±$241Lowest 3% below ME	$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME
	Hope and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,310Lowest 24% below ME	$3,842Highest 27% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.3%±20.4Highest ME: 48.4%	37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Trenton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	18.2%Highest ME: 10.7%	5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3%	92.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1991 14 yrs newer than ME	1991 14 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 17% above ME	20 minLowest 19% below ME
Work from home	11.3%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9%	18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9%
	Hope and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Trenton Public Schools	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.