Compare towns
Hampden vs Appleton vs Mapleton vs Gray
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 people working from home (21.3%).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
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 | Appleton | Mapleton | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,896 |
1,360Lowest |
1,884 |
8,429Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Appleton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| Hampden and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,300±$38k about the ME average |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$317 13% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
| Gray and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,694Highest 22% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.5% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Gray 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 | — | — | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 22 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Hampden Academy | None in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | — | 12.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.