Compare towns
Hampden vs South Eliot 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
South Eliot has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
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 | South Eliot | Winthrop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,896Highest |
4,203Lowest |
6,191 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.8% ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
55.5±8Highest 24% above ME |
43.6±5.3 about the ME average |
| South Eliot 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% |
15.2%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Winthrop 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% |
32.8%±6.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.4%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| South Eliot and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9% ME: 36.2% |
49.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
40%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Hampden and Winthrop 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 |
$99,299±$9k 33% above ME |
$86,470±$4kLowest 16% above ME |
| Hampden and South Eliot 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 |
$475,600±$52kHighest 60% above ME |
$294,800±$41kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$317 13% above ME |
$2,155±$292Highest 89% above ME |
$892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,694 22% above ME |
$4,442Highest 46% above ME |
$3,506Lowest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±29.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.8%±22.4 ME: 48.4% |
| South Eliot 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% |
5.5%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% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.3%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±4.5Lowest 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 | — | Winthrop Public Schools |
| High school in town | Hampden Academy | — | Winthrop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 11.7Lowest |
| 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.