Compare towns
Gray vs Carmel vs Hampden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Carmel has the most affordable homes ($257k 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 | Gray | Carmel | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
2,941Lowest |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Carmel and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±4.3Lowest 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+ | 19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest 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 | $95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$82,188±$22kLowest 10% 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 | $363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$256,800±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
$301,300±$38k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,276±$187Lowest 12% 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 | $3,683 21% above ME |
$2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,694Highest 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest 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 | #77 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | 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.