Compare towns
Hampden vs Gorham 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 shortest commute (23 min average).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Union has the most affordable homes ($268k 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 | Gorham | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,896 |
18,300Highest |
2,663Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±2.9 8% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
41.6±5.3Highest 7% below ME |
| Union 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% |
20.9%±3.5Lowest 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%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Gorham 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% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,959±$13k 50% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$80,724±$9kLowest 8% above ME |
| Gorham and Hampden 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 |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$267,600±$42kLowest 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$317 13% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,179±$452Lowest 4% above ME |
| Gorham and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,694 22% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,276Lowest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Union 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% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Gorham 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 | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 22 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | Hampden Academy | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.