Compare towns
Hampden vs Winthrop vs Orrington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
Winthrop has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Orrington has the oldest population (median age 49.5).
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 | Winthrop | Orrington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,896Highest |
6,191 |
3,853Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
43.6±5.3 about the ME average |
49.5±3.3Highest 10% above ME |
| Orrington 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%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Winthrop 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% |
23.4%±5 ME: 22.4% |
23.8%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Orrington and Winthrop 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% |
40%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Hampden and Orrington 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 |
$86,470±$4kLowest 16% above ME |
$94,556±$10k 27% above ME |
| Hampden and Orrington 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 |
$294,800±$41kLowest about the ME average |
$309,000±$49kHighest 4% above ME |
| Orrington and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$317Highest 13% above ME |
$892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,167±$135 about the ME average |
| Hampden and Orrington 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 |
$3,506 15% above ME |
$2,823Lowest 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
50.8%±22.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.9%±20.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Winthrop and Hampden 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% |
12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.3%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5.3Lowest 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 | #41 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 22 | Winthrop Public Schools | Orrington Public Schools |
| High school in town | Hampden Academy | Winthrop High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
11.7Lowest |
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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.