Compare towns
Hampden vs New Gloucester 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%).
New Gloucester has the most expensive homes ($357k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | New Gloucester | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,896Highest |
5,766 |
4,790Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±2.9 8% below ME |
40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
| Sidney 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% |
24.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and New Gloucester 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% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sidney 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% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Hampden and New Gloucester 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 |
$108,797±$12k 46% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
| Hampden and New Gloucester 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 |
$357,100±$29kHighest 20% above ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
| New Gloucester and Sidney 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 |
$1,150±$249Lowest about the ME average |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Sidney 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 |
$3,417 13% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| New Gloucester 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% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5Lowest 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 | #65 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 22 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Hampden Academy | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8 |
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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.