Compare towns
Gray vs Hampden vs Freeport vs Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampden has the most affordable homes ($301k median).
Freeport has the most expensive homes ($508k median).
Berwick has the most homeowners (87.4%).
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 | Hampden | Freeport | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
7,896Lowest |
8,802Highest |
8,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41±2.9 8% below ME |
48.8±4.3Highest 9% above ME |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% 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% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Berwick 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% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest 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% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest 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±$8k 27% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$107,326±$19k 44% above ME |
$94,771±$24kLowest 27% above ME |
| Hampden and Freeport 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 |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$369,100±$19k 24% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME |
$1,439±$123 26% above ME |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
| Berwick and Freeport 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 |
$3,694 22% above ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$4,436 46% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46 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% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
8.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6 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 | #6 of 133 in ME | #4 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 22 | RSU 05 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hampden Academy | Freeport High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
14.8Highest |
12.2Lowest |
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| 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.