Compare towns
Topsham vs Gray vs Hampden vs Freeport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1980).
Hampden has the most kids (25.8% under 18).
Freeport has the most expensive homes ($508k median).
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 | Topsham | Gray | Hampden | Freeport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,706Highest |
8,429 |
7,896Lowest |
8,802 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4 about the ME average |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
48.8±4.3Highest 9% above ME |
| Freeport and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Freeport and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,028±$10kLowest 22% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$107,326±$19k 44% above ME |
| Hampden and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME |
$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME |
| Freeport and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,259 40% above ME |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$3,694 22% above ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
8.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Freeport 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 | #66 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME | #4 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 22 | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hampden Academy | Freeport High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
12.5 |
14.8Highest |
12.2Lowest |
| 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.