Compare towns
Gray vs Hampden vs Levant vs Berwick
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 oldest population (median age 43.4).
Hampden has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Levant has the most affordable homes ($269k 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 | Levant | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
7,896 |
3,069Lowest |
8,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
+3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
41±2.9 8% below ME |
39.7±2.2Lowest 11% below ME |
40.7±2.9 9% below ME |
| Gray and Hampden 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% |
19.8%±4.8 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%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Levant 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 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 |
$86,071±$22kLowest 15% above ME |
$94,771±$24k 27% above ME |
| Hampden 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±$20k 23% above ME |
$301,300±$38k about the ME average |
$268,500±$27kLowest 9% below ME |
$369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
| Berwick 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 20% above ME |
$1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME |
$1,370±$120 20% above ME |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
| Berwick and Gray 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 |
$3,694 22% above ME |
$2,580Lowest 15% below ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.7%±14 ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Berwick 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% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
81.4%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 |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| 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 | #124 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 22 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hampden Academy | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
14.8Highest |
— | — |
| 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.