Compare towns
Gray vs Dracut vs Hampden
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 oldest population (median age 43.4).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
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 | Dracut | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
32,574Highest |
7,896Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
41±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Gray and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampden and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray and Dracut 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% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 18% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$111,959±$13k 39% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Hampden 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. |
$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$301,300±$38kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,286±$317Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,375Highest 72% above U.S. |
$3,694 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut 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% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #201 of 282 in MA | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Dracut | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Dracut Senior High | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
12.9 |
14.8Highest |
| 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.