What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hampden has the most people working from home (21.3%).

Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hampden	Webster
People
Population	7,896Lowest	17,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41±2.9Highest 5% above U.S.	39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average
	Hampden and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22%	19.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Hampden and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	19.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Webster 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 U.S.: 35.7%	25.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Webster and Hampden 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 39% above U.S.	$72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$301,300±$38kLowest 9% below U.S.	$361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,286±$317Highest 9% below U.S.	$1,228±$81Lowest 13% below U.S.
	Hampden and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,694Lowest 18% above U.S.	$3,999Highest 28% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	45.7%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	7.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.	1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 14% below U.S.	31 minHighest 16% above U.S.
Work from home	21.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#6 of 133 in ME	#271 of 282 in MA
School district	RSU 22	Webster
High school in town	Hampden Academy	Bartlett High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.8Highest	11.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.