Compare towns
Hampden vs Brooks vs Union
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 highest household income ($112k).
Brooks has the most affordable homes ($197k median).
Union has the most homeowners (85.9%).
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 | Brooks | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,896Highest |
1,208Lowest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
| Brooks and Union 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% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Hampden 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% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest 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 | $111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,300±$38kHighest about the ME average |
$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Hampden and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$317Highest 13% above ME |
$1,116±$112Lowest about the ME average |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Hampden and Union 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 |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Union and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Union 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 22 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | Hampden Academy | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8 |
— | — |
| 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.