Compare towns
Brooks vs Hampden vs Newburgh
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooks has the most affordable homes ($197k median).
Hampden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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.
| Measure | Brooks | Hampden | Newburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
7,896Highest |
1,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
45.8±5.7 about the ME average |
| Brooks and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Newburgh and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$301,300±$38kHighest about the ME average |
$244,600±$20k 18% below ME |
| Hampden and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$1,286±$317Highest 13% above ME |
$950±$219Lowest 17% below ME |
| Hampden and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$3,694Highest 22% above ME |
$2,748 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Newburgh and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Brooks 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 | — | #6 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 22 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Hampden Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.