Compare towns
Hampden vs Mapleton vs Appleton vs South Berwick
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%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
South Berwick has the most expensive homes ($428k 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 | Mapleton | Appleton | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,896Highest |
1,884 |
1,360Lowest |
7,670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±2.9 8% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
| Appleton and Mapleton 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Mapleton 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Hampden and Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$99,572±$13k 33% above ME |
| Hampden and South Berwick 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$428,300±$26kHighest 44% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$317 13% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,694 22% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$4,956Highest 63% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and South Berwick 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and South Berwick 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 | — | — | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 22 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Hampden Academy | None in town | None in town | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | — | 13.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.