Compare towns
Hampden vs Sumner 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 kids (25.8% under 18).
Sumner has the most affordable homes ($150k median).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Sumner | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,896 |
845Lowest |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Sumner and Topsham 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% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Topsham 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% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Topsham 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% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below 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 |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$360,800±$20kHighest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME |
— | $1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
| Topsham and Hampden 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 |
$2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Sumner 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 10 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Hampden Academy | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 12.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.