Compare towns
Hampden 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).
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 | Steep Falls | Winthrop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,896Highest |
1,861Lowest |
6,191 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±2.9Lowest 8% 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% |
22.9%±9.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.6Lowest 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% |
23.4%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Winthrop 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% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
40% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Hampden and Steep Falls 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 |
$86,470±$4k 16% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,300±$38kHighest about the ME average |
$243,400±$31kLowest 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 |
$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
$892±$319Lowest 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 |
$3,273Lowest 8% above ME |
$3,506 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.2%±15.1Lowest 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% |
7.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% ME: 74.3% |
80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
31 min 25% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.3%±5.5 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 | — | 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.