Compare towns
Gray vs Castleton vs Braintree 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
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Castleton | Braintree | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
4,453 |
1,026Lowest |
6,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hermon and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$96,629±$22kHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Hermon 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 9% above U.S. |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$333,600±$32k about the U.S. average |
| Gray and Hermon 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 |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% 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. |
$3,167 about the U.S. average |
$3,908Highest 25% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | — | 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.