Compare towns
Gray vs Hampden vs Marblehead
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Hampden has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k 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 | Hampden | Marblehead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
7,896Lowest |
20,413Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
49.1±2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Marblehead and Gray 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% |
22.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Hampden and Marblehead 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% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Marblehead 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
78.3%Highest 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% |
3.8%±1Lowest 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±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$111,959±$13k 39% above U.S. |
$182,132±$28kHighest 126% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$301,300±$38kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$943,900±$31kHighest 184% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,286±$317Lowest 9% below U.S. |
$1,764±$147Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,694 18% above U.S. |
$8,309Highest 166% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.5%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Marblehead 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% |
7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME | #47 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 22 | Marblehead |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hampden Academy | Marblehead High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
14.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.