What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chester has the most expensive homes ($552k median).

Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).

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	Chester	Gray
People
Population	5,300Lowest	8,429Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	47.2±3.8Highest 21% above U.S.	43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S.
	Chester and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%	19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Chester and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.4%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Gray and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Gray and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$142,212±$19kHighest 76% above U.S.	$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$552,300±$42kHighest 66% above U.S.	$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,464Highest 171% above U.S.	$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	19%±72.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Gray and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S.	1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 33% above U.S.	29 minLowest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	16.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Chester 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	#90 of 120 in NH	#10 of 133 in ME
School district	Chester School District	RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences
High school in town	None in town	Gray-New Gloucester High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.5
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.