Compare towns
Gray vs Guildhall vs Lancaster
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 most people working from home (12.3%).
Guildhall has the highest household income ($115k).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($201k 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.
| Measure | Gray | Guildhall | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
371Lowest |
2,230 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +12.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
42.6±7.8 10% above U.S. |
38.6±8.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Gray and Guildhall 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% |
22.6%±7.5 U.S.: 22% |
25.1%±8.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster and Guildhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Guildhall and Lancaster 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% |
33.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Lancaster 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. |
$115,000±$46kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$66,765±$20kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Guildhall and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$321,200±$62k 3% below U.S. |
$200,500±$24kLowest 40% below U.S. |
| Gray and Guildhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$850±$717Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,036±$221 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,625Highest 48% above U.S. |
$4,225 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
75%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±18.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Guildhall 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% |
11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gray and Lancaster 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 | — | #107 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | — |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — |
| 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.