Compare towns
Gray vs Danvers 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 homeowners (82.4%).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
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 | Danvers | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
28,098Highest |
6,727Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±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% |
22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Danvers and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Lowest 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±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$96,629±$22k 20% above U.S. |
| Danvers 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. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$333,600±$32kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,406±$202 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Danvers 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Danvers 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 | #91 of 282 in MA | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
12.8 |
14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.