What stands out worked out from the figures below

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Steep Falls	Hampden
People
Population	1,861Lowest	7,896Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.4%Highest ME: +2.6%	+6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	44.1±6.5Highest about the ME average	41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME
	Steep Falls and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.9%±9.7Lowest 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+	9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4%	17.2%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4%
	Hampden and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%	45.9%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8%	5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8%
	Hampden and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$80,280±$33kLowest 7% above ME	$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME
	Hampden and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$243,400±$31kLowest 18% below ME	$301,300±$38kHighest about the ME average
	Hampden and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME	$1,286±$317Lowest 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	$3,273Lowest 8% above ME	$3,694Highest 22% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4%	22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Steep Falls and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.2%Lowest ME: 10.7%	7.5%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%	85.7%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME	1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 25% above ME	23 minLowest 7% below ME
Work from home	4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9%	21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#6 of 133 in ME
School district	—	RSU 22
High school in town	—	Hampden Academy
Students per teacherat that high school	—	14.8
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.