Compare towns
Acton vs Gray vs Hampden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Acton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
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 | Acton | Gray | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,721Lowest |
8,429Highest |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.9±4.2Highest 18% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Acton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,750±$15kLowest 5% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
| Hampden and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,300±$34k 13% above ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
| Gray and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME |
| Gray and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,680Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$3,694Highest 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Acton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 64% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.2%±8.5 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden 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 | #43 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Acton Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.