Compare towns
Hampden vs Durham vs Bangor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampden has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
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 | Hampden | Durham | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,161 |
4,262Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±6.3 8% below ME |
42.6±5.9Highest 5% below ME |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
| Durham and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±7.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,228±$22kHighest 50% above ME |
$99,181±$5k 33% above ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
| Hampden and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,900±$33k 4% below ME |
$322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
| Durham and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$375Highest about the ME average |
— | $1,055±$43Lowest 7% below ME |
| Hampden and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,863Highest 27% above ME |
$3,781 25% above ME |
$3,076Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.2%±18 ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 7.7% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6% ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 9% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.1%±6 ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and Hampden 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 | #14 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 05 | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.