Compare towns
Hampden vs Etna
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
Etna has the most affordable homes ($183k 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 | Etna |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 7,896Highest |
1,252Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
41.9±3.4Highest 6% below ME |
| Etna and Hampden 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% |
20%±6.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Etna 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%±1.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Etna 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% |
13.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±0.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$72,379±$16kLowest 3% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,300±$38kHighest about the ME average |
$183,000±$49kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$317 13% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,694Highest 22% above ME |
$1,745Lowest 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Etna 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% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #6 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 22 | — |
| High school in town | Hampden Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.