What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hampden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).

Brownfield has the most affordable homes ($288k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hampden	Brownfield
People
Population	7,896Highest	1,830Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6%	+2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	41±2.9Highest 8% below ME	39.9±6.8Lowest 11% below ME
	Hampden and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	25.8%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	26.7%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1%
	Brownfield and Hampden 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%	18.5%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4%
	Brownfield 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%	25.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8%	0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME	$60,889±$5kLowest 19% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$301,300±$38kHighest about the ME average	$287,500±$36kLowest 3% below ME
	Hampden and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME	$1,617±$554Highest 42% above ME
	Brownfield 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	$2,976Lowest about the ME average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4%	61.8%±43.7Highest ME: 48.4%
	Brownfield 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%	8.1%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.7%Lowest ME: 74.3%	87.7%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME	1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 7% below ME	44 minHighest 80% above ME
Work from home	21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9%	9.5%±4.5Lowest ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#6 of 133 in ME	—
School district	RSU 22	RSU 72/MSAD 72
High school in town	Hampden Academy	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	14.8	—
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.