Compare towns
Topsham vs Naples vs Wells vs Hampden
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 most renters (21.1% rent).
Naples has the most people working from home (26.7%).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Hampden has the most kids (25.8% under 18).
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 | Naples | Wells | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,706 |
3,985Lowest |
11,713Highest |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4 about the ME average |
49.8±6.8 11% above ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Wells and Naples 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% |
15.6%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest 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% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Hampden and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$78,188±$13kLowest 5% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
| Hampden and Topsham 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 |
$340,100±$48k 15% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$1,941±$625Highest 70% above ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME |
| Naples and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,259Highest 40% above ME |
$2,784Lowest 8% below ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$3,694 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
59.9%±40.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Naples and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.5% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.7%±11.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Naples and Hampden 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 | #118 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | Lake Region High School | Wells High School | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
11.7 |
11.4Lowest |
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.