Compare towns
Steep Falls vs Hampden vs Baldwin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
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%).
Baldwin has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Steep Falls | Hampden | Baldwin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,861 |
7,896Highest |
1,170Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
-0.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
50.6±4.6Highest 13% above ME |
| Baldwin and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±9.7 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
12.1%±3Lowest 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%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,280±$33k 7% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$68,045±$8kLowest 9% below 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 |
$263,200±$38k 11% below ME |
| Hampden and Baldwin 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 | $3,273 8% above ME |
$3,694Highest 22% above ME |
$2,540Lowest 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±42.9Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
89%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 25% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
32 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.8 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 | 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.