The Town FilesHampden, Maine
Town in Penobscot County · population 7,709 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $301,300
- Household income
- $111,959
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 75 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 41.0
Hampden is a town of 7,709 people in Penobscot County, Maine. The median home is worth $301,300, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks better for families than 96% of Maine towns, more upscale than 95% of Maine towns, better for cycling than 89% of Maine towns.
How Hampden ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Hampden is worth $301,300, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $111,959, which is more affordable than 77% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,286 a month. 85.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hampden | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $301,300 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $1,286 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $111,959 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 85.7% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.2% | — |
Who lives in Hampden
| People | Hampden | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.0 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.2% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.9% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.5% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 21.3% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.2% | 90.0% |
Weather in Hampden
July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 9.0°F. About 41.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 74.6 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 161 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Hampden since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 28, 1991.
Severe weather in Penobscot County since 1996
Penobscot County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
| January 2, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4354: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Penobscot County
Penobscot County had 71,983 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,593 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Hampden itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Public schools in Hampden
4 public schools with 1,649 students, about 14.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hampden Academy | 9-12 | 761 | 14.6 |
| Reeds Brook Middle School | 6-8 | 335 | 14.0 |
| Earl C McGraw School | K-2 | 286 | 13.6 |
| George B Weatherbee School | 3-5 | 267 | 13.4 |
Towns near Hampden
- Hampden, ME2.3 mi · 4,516 people · home $285,900
- Winterport, ME5.8 mi · 3,817 people · home $283,000
- Hermon, ME6.3 mi · 6,461 people · home $333,600
- Orrington, ME6.6 mi · 3,812 people · home $309,000
- Carmel, ME7.5 mi · 2,867 people · home $256,800
- Brewer, ME8.1 mi · 9,672 people · home $245,300
- Bangor, ME8.1 mi · 31,753 people · home $219,600
- Bucksport, ME8.7 mi · 4,944 people · home $252,300
Hampden questions
Is Hampden, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hampden scores better for retirees than 53% of Maine towns and quieter than 13%. 17.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.0).
How much does a house cost in Hampden?
The median owner-occupied home in Hampden is valued at $301,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $111,959, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $1,286 a month.
What is the weather like in Hampden?
July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 9.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.7 inches of precipitation a year and 74.6 inches of snow.
Does Hampden get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Hampden in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)