Compare towns
Hampden vs Mapleton vs Steep Falls vs Winthrop
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 highest household income ($112k).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Steep Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
Winthrop has the most people working from home (23.1%).
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 | Steep Falls | Winthrop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,896Highest |
1,884 |
1,861Lowest |
6,191 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.1±6.5Highest about the ME average |
43.6±5.3 about the ME average |
| Steep Falls and Winthrop 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% |
22.2%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±9.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Steep Falls 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% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.4%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Winthrop 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% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
40% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4Lowest 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 |
$80,280±$33kLowest 7% above ME |
$86,470±$4k 16% above ME |
| Hampden and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,300±$38kHighest about the ME average |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$243,400±$31k 18% below ME |
$294,800±$41k about the ME average |
| Hampden and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$317 13% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
$892±$319 22% below ME |
| Steep Falls and Hampden 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,273 8% above ME |
$3,506 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.8%±22.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Winthrop 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% |
7.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.2% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 min 25% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.3%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Winthrop and Hampden 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 | — | — | #12 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 22 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | Winthrop Public Schools |
| High school in town | Hampden Academy | None in town | — | Winthrop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | — | 11.7Lowest |
| 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.