What stands out worked out from the figures below

Essex has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.8%).

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	Essex	Gray
People
Population	11,516Highest	8,429Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.4±1.9Lowest 9% above U.S.	43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S.
	Gray and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%	19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Essex and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Essex and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Gray and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$110,199±$14kHighest 36% above U.S.	$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S.
	Essex and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$447,300±$14kHighest 34% above U.S.	$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,569±$138Highest 11% above U.S.	$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average
	Essex and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,602Highest 112% above U.S.	$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.9%±13.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Gray and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S.	1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 17% below U.S.	29 minHighest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	21.5%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Essex 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	#13 of 70 in VT	#10 of 133 in ME
School district	Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51	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.