Compare towns
Standish vs Berwick vs Steep Falls vs Hampden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Standish has the most homeowners (91.2%).
Berwick has the most renters (27% rent).
Steep Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Standish | Berwick | Steep Falls | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,662Highest |
1,998 |
1,861Lowest |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.1% ME: +2.6% |
+7.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
42.6±3.6 5% below ME |
44.1±6.5Highest about the ME average |
41±2.9 8% below ME |
| Steep Falls and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±12.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±9.7 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
16.9%±8.1 ME: 22.4% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Hampden and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36% ME: 36.2% |
35.4% ME: 36.2% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
$81,406±$39k 9% above ME |
$80,280±$33kLowest 7% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
| Hampden and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,000±$18kHighest 13% above ME |
$323,300±$36k 9% above ME |
$243,400±$31kLowest 18% below ME |
$301,300±$38k about the ME average |
| Standish and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,041±$901 9% below ME |
$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
$1,286±$317 13% above ME |
| Steep Falls and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005Lowest about the ME average |
$3,806Highest 25% above ME |
$3,273 8% above ME |
$3,694 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
40.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.2% ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.2% ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1970 7 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
31 min 25% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
13.7%±7.8 ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Berwick 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME | — | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | — | — | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Bonny Eagle High School | — | — | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | — | 14.8Highest |
| 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.