Compare towns
Gray vs Dedham vs Durham 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 renters (17.6% rent).
Dedham has the oldest population (median age 46.5).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Hampden has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Dedham | Durham | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
1,656Lowest |
4,262 |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Dedham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Dedham 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% |
18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Dedham 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% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1 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±$8kLowest 27% above ME |
$111,442±$18k 49% above ME |
$99,181±$5k 33% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
| Hampden and Dedham 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 |
$356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
| Gray and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
— | $1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME |
| Dedham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$3,781 25% above ME |
$3,694 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
95.4% ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Durham 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 | — | #14 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 05 | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | 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 | 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.