What stands out worked out from the figures below

Waterville has the most renters (51.2% rent).

Hampden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).

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	Waterville	Hampden
People
Population	17,077Highest	7,896Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME	41±2.9Highest 8% below ME
Kids under 18	14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1%	25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1%
Age 65+	18.3%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4%	17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Waterville and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%	45.9%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8%	5.3%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME	$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME	$301,300±$38kHighest about the ME average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME	$1,286±$317Highest 13% above ME
	Hampden and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,755Lowest 9% below ME	$3,694Highest 22% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4%	22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4%
Below poverty line	20.6%Highest ME: 10.7%	7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%	85.7%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME	1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 27% below ME	23 minHighest 7% below ME
Work from home	16.6%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9%	21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9%
	Hampden and Waterville 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	#105 of 133 in ME	#6 of 133 in ME
School district	Waterville Public Schools	RSU 22
High school in town	Waterville Senior High School	Hampden Academy
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Lowest	14.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.