Compare towns
Hermon vs Starks vs Hampden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Hampden has the most people working from home (21.3%).
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 | Hermon | Starks | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,727 |
556Lowest |
7,896Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Starks and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Hermon and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.6% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Hampden and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,629±$22k 29% above ME |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
| Hampden and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,600±$32kHighest 12% above ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$301,300±$38k about the ME average |
| Hermon and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
$1,063±$301Lowest 7% below ME |
$1,286±$317 13% above ME |
| Hermon and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,761 9% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$3,694Highest 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.2%±19.1 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 8% below ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #54 of 133 in ME | — | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hermon Public Schools | — | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Hermon High School | — | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
| 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.