Compare towns
Acton vs Gray vs Hermon vs Ogunquit
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Acton has the highest household income ($158k).
Hermon has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Acton | Gray | Hermon | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,155Highest |
8,429 |
6,727 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±0.8 14% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Acton and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 79.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $158,230±$14kHighest 96% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$96,629±$22k 20% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
| Acton and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $807,300±$20k 143% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$333,600±$32kLowest about the U.S. average |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,986±$155Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,406±$202 about the U.S. average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.7%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 35.9%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Acton 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 | #13 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hermon Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hermon High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
12.5Lowest |
14.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.