What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hampden has the most people working from home (21.3%).

Little Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.9%).

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	Little Falls
People
Population	7,896Highest	718Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+21.9%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME	46.3±21.2Highest 3% above ME
	Little Falls 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%	15.5%±16.3Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Hampden and Little Falls 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%	19.1%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4%
	Little Falls 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%	22.9%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8%	2.5%±3.6Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Hampden and Little Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$111,959±$13kLowest 50% above ME	$127,500±$72kHighest 71% above ME
	Little Falls 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±$38kLowest about the ME average	$375,800±$96kHighest 27% above ME
	Little Falls and Hampden 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	$2,205±$101Highest 94% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,694Lowest 22% above ME	$4,041Highest 33% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	22.2%±15.1Highest ME: 48.4%	15.3%±31.7Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Hampden and Little Falls 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%	0.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.7%Highest ME: 74.3%	67.1%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME	1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 7% below ME	27 minHighest 8% above ME
Work from home	21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9%	0%±2.4Lowest 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.