Compare towns
Gray vs Gardner vs Hermon vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Gardner | Hermon | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
21,148Highest |
6,727Lowest |
19,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Hermon and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hermon and Gardner 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% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Hermon 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 18% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$96,629±$22k 20% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Windham 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 9% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$333,600±$32k about the U.S. average |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,406±$202Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
| Hermon and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$4,150Highest 33% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Gardner 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #54 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Gardner | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Gardner High | Hermon High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
13.5 |
14.6Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.