Compare towns
Hampden vs Hermon vs Sidney
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%).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Sidney has the oldest population (median age 43).
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 | Hermon | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,896Highest |
6,727 |
4,790Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
| Sidney and Hermon 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% |
21.6%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Sidney 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% |
20.4%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Hermon and Sidney 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% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Hampden and Hermon 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 |
$96,629±$22k 29% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
| Hampden and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
$333,600±$32k 12% above ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Sidney and Hermon 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 |
$1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
| Hermon and Sidney 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 |
$2,761 9% below ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Hermon and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1996 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Sidney 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 | #54 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 22 | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Hampden Academy | Hermon High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
14.6Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.