Compare towns
Mapleton vs Strong vs Hampden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most renters (20.1% rent).
Strong has the oldest population (median age 47.5).
Hampden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | Mapleton | Strong | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,249Lowest |
7,896Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Strong and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Hampden and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
| Hampden and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$301,300±$38kHighest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$1,286±$317Highest 13% above ME |
| Hampden and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$3,694Highest 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hampden and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Strong 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 |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.8 |
| 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.