What stands out worked out from the figures below

Alton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).

Gray has the most kids (19% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Alton	Gray
People
Population	5,994Lowest	8,429Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	53.7±3.2Highest 38% above U.S.	43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S.
Kids under 18	13.4%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%	19%±4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Gray and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Alton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.8%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,715±$19kHighest 41% above U.S.	$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S.
	Alton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$430,400±$37kHighest 29% above U.S.	$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,183Highest 34% above U.S.	$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.7%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Gray and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S.	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 25% above U.S.	29 minLowest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	13.1%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Alton and Gray 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	#72 of 120 in NH	#10 of 133 in ME
School district	Prospect Mountain JMA School District · Alton School District	RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences
High school in town	Prospect Mountain High School	Gray-New Gloucester High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	12.5Highest
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.