Compare towns
Bristol 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
Bristol has the oldest population (median age 61).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
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 | Bristol | Gray | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,917Lowest |
8,429Highest |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.5Lowest 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+ | 42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1Lowest 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 | $100,750±$19k 35% above ME |
$95,236±$8kLowest 27% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
| Hampden and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $406,400±$54kHighest 37% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
| Bristol and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,051±$106Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,286±$317 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 | $2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$3,694Highest 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.4%±19.2 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 28% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol and Hampden 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 | #16 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bristol 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 Our Story | 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.