Compare towns
Hampden vs Standish 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%).
Standish has the most homeowners (91.2%).
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 | Standish | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,896 |
10,662Highest |
4,790Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% ME: +2.6% |
+3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±2.9 8% below ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 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% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Sidney 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% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest 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% |
36% ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
| Hampden and Standish 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 |
$336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Sidney and Standish 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 |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$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 |
$3,005 about the ME average |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Standish 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% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8Lowest 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 22 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Hampden Academy | Bonny Eagle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.5Lowest |
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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.

