Compare towns
Hampden vs Lake Arrowhead vs Windham
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).
Lake Arrowhead has the youngest population (median age 33).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Lake Arrowhead | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,896 |
3,322Lowest |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% ME: +2.6% |
+3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±2.9 8% below ME |
33±2.4Lowest 26% below ME |
41.8±1.8Highest 7% below ME |
| Windham and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.8%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
26.9%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Lake Arrowhead and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
7.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Hampden and Windham 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% |
26.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Hampden and Lake Arrowhead 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 |
$98,654±$9kLowest 32% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
| Hampden and Windham 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 |
$267,300±$19kLowest 10% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$317 13% above ME |
$2,288±$327Highest 101% above ME |
$1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,694 22% above ME |
$2,286Lowest 25% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
0%±36.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Windham 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% |
2.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% ME: 74.3% |
93.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
39 minHighest 57% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Windham 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 22 | — | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Hampden Academy | — | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| 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.