What stands out worked out from the figures below

Berwick has the most expensive homes ($323k median).

Hampden has the highest household income ($112k).

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	Berwick	Hampden
People
Population	1,998Lowest	5,161Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.1%Highest ME: +2.6%	+4%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	42.6±3.6Highest 5% below ME	41.1±6.3Lowest 8% below ME
	Berwick and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.5%±12.5Lowest ME: 18.1%	23.3%±7.8Highest ME: 18.1%
	Hampden and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.9%±8.1Lowest ME: 22.4%	18.6%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4%
	Hampden and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%	47.9%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8%	4.7%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,406±$39kLowest 9% above ME	$112,228±$22kHighest 50% above ME
	Hampden and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$323,300±$36kHighest 9% above ME	$285,900±$33kLowest 4% below ME
	Berwick and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,041±$901Lowest 9% below ME	$1,133±$375Highest about the ME average
	Hampden and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,806Lowest 25% above ME	$3,863Highest 27% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.9%±45.2Highest ME: 48.4%	25.2%±18Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Berwick and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%	7.7%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73%Lowest ME: 74.3%	83.6%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME	1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 37% above ME	22 minLowest 9% below ME
Work from home	13.7%±7.8Lowest ME: 15.9%	16.1%±6Highest ME: 15.9%
	Hampden and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#101 of 133 in ME	#6 of 133 in ME
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.