What stands out worked out from the figures below

Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).

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	Webster	Hampden
People
Population	17,748Highest	7,896Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average	41±2.9Highest 5% above U.S.
	Hampden and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Hampden and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Webster and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Webster and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S.	$111,959±$13kHighest 39% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S.	$301,300±$38kLowest 9% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,228±$81Lowest 13% below U.S.	$1,286±$317Highest 9% below U.S.
	Hampden and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,999Highest 28% above U.S.	$3,694Lowest 18% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.7%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	7.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S.	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 16% above U.S.	23 minLowest 14% below U.S.
Work from home	8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#271 of 282 in MA	#6 of 133 in ME
School district	Webster	RSU 22
High school in town	Bartlett High School	Hampden Academy
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Lowest	14.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.