Compare towns
Hampden vs Winthrop vs Orrington vs Berwick
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).
Winthrop has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Orrington has the oldest population (median age 49.5).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
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 | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,896 |
6,191 |
3,853Lowest |
8,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±2.9 8% below ME |
43.6±5.3 about the ME average |
49.5±3.3Highest 10% above ME |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below 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% |
22.7%±4.4 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% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest 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% |
3.7%±1.7 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 |
$94,771±$24k 27% above ME |
| Hampden and Berwick 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±$49k 4% above ME |
$369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
| Berwick and Orrington 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 |
$892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,167±$135 about the ME average |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
| Berwick 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 |
$3,506 15% above ME |
$2,823Lowest 7% below ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above 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% |
50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
| Winthrop and Berwick 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% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%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% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than 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 |
30 min 20% above 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% |
20.2%±7.6 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 | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 22 | Winthrop Public Schools | Orrington Public Schools | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Hampden Academy | Winthrop High School | None in town | 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 | 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.