What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).

Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Gray	Fair Haven
People
Population	8,429Highest	2,724Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S.	39.2±7.6Lowest about the U.S. average
	Gray and Fair Haven 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%	19.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22%
	Fair Haven and Gray 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%	18.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Gray and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	23.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Gray and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S.	$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S.	$176,500±$14kLowest 47% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average	$830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S.	$3,865Highest 24% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1%	50.9%±20.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Gray and Fair Haven 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%	18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 8% above U.S.	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.
Work from home	12.3%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	4.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#10 of 133 in ME	#66 of 70 in VT
School district	RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences	Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62
High school in town	Gray-New Gloucester High School	Fair Haven Union Middle and High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.5Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.