Compare towns
Hampden vs Steep Falls vs Topsham
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%).
Steep Falls has the most affordable homes ($243k median).
Topsham has the most expensive homes ($361k 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 | Steep Falls | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,896 |
1,861Lowest |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
| Topsham and Steep Falls 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% |
22.9%±9.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Lowest 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% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9% ME: 36.2% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Hampden and Topsham 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 |
$80,280±$33kLowest 7% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| Hampden and Topsham 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 |
$243,400±$31kLowest 18% below ME |
$360,800±$20kHighest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME |
$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
| Steep Falls and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,694 22% above ME |
$3,273Lowest 8% above ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Topsham 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% |
7.2% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.2% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Topsham 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 | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 22 | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Hampden Academy | — | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 12.2Lowest |
| 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.