Compare towns
Gray vs Braintree vs Windham vs Hermon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | Gray | Braintree | Windham | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
1,026Lowest |
19,188Highest |
6,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hermon and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5kLowest about the U.S. average |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$96,629±$22k 20% above U.S. |
| Windham and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$333,600±$32k about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,406±$202Highest about the U.S. average |
| Hermon and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
$3,938Highest 26% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #95 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | RSU 14 | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Windham High School | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | 12.1Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.