Compare towns
Gray vs Freeport vs Westbrook vs Hermon
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 homeowners (82.4%).
Freeport has the most expensive homes ($508k median).
Westbrook has the most renters (38.8% rent).
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 | Freeport | Westbrook | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
8,802 |
20,775Highest |
6,727Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.9% ME: +2.6% |
+16.6% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
48.8±4.3Highest 9% above ME |
37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
41.1±4.7 8% 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%±4 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hermon 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% |
18.1%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Freeport 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% ME: 36.2% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.3% ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Westbrook and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$85,038±$7kLowest 14% above ME |
$96,629±$22k 29% above ME |
| Freeport 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 23% above ME |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$383,300±$19k 29% above ME |
$333,600±$32kLowest 12% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Lowest 20% above ME |
$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME |
$1,392±$74 22% above ME |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
| Freeport and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 21% above ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$4,005 32% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8% ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
75.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Freeport and Westbrook 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 | #115 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 05 | Westbrook Public Schools | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Freeport High School | Westbrook High School | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
12.2 |
12.0Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.