Compare towns
Danforth 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
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($90k median).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Hampden has the most people working from home (21.3%).
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 | Danforth | Gray | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666Lowest |
8,429Highest |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.1±4.4Highest 19% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.3Lowest 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+ | 26.1%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Danforth and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±2Lowest 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 | $48,125±$8kLowest 36% below 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 | $89,900±$36kLowest 70% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$301,300±$38k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$29Lowest 45% 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 | $1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$3,694Highest 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.1%±57.5 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 15% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 22 |
| High school 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.