Compare towns
Gray vs Freeport vs Hampden vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freeport has the most expensive homes ($508k median).
Hampden has the most kids (25.8% under 18).
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 | Freeport | Hampden | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
8,802 |
7,896Lowest |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
48.8±4.3Highest 9% above ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Freeport 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% |
19.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Freeport and Gray 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% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest 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 |
$107,326±$19k 44% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
| Hampden and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME |
$1,286±$317 13% above ME |
$1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
| Freeport 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 |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$3,694 22% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% ME: 10.7% |
8.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Freeport 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 | #4 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 05 | RSU 22 | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Freeport High School | Hampden Academy | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
12.2 |
14.8Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| 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.