Compare towns
Gray vs Hampden vs Hanson vs Berwick
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 renters (17.6% rent).
Hampden has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Hanson has the most expensive homes ($534k median).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
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 | Hanson | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
7,896Lowest |
10,660Highest |
8,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
41±2.9 5% above U.S. |
42.8±3 10% above U.S. |
40.7±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Gray and Hanson 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% |
25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hanson 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 18% above U.S. |
$111,959±$13k 39% above U.S. |
$132,200±$10kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$94,771±$24kLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Hanson and Hampden 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. |
$301,300±$38kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$533,900±$36kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$369,100±$19k 11% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,286±$317Lowest 9% below U.S. |
$1,821±$860Highest 29% above U.S. |
$1,452±$430 about the U.S. average |
| Hanson and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,694 18% above U.S. |
$6,402Highest 105% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
69%±33.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±46 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanson and Gray 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% |
7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.2%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampden and Berwick 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 | #149 of 282 in MA | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 22 | Whitman-Hanson | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hampden Academy | Whitman Hanson Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
14.8Highest |
14.7 |
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| 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.