Compare towns
Gray vs Hampden vs Ogunquit vs Steep Falls
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 shortest commute (23 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Steep Falls has the most affordable homes ($243k 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 | Ogunquit | Steep Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
7,896 |
1,379Lowest |
1,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±9.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Steep Falls 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%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% ME: 36.2% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8Lowest 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±$13k 50% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$80,280±$33kLowest 7% above ME |
| Ogunquit 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 23% above ME |
$301,300±$38k about the ME average |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$243,400±$31kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME |
— | $1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
| Steep Falls 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 |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,273Lowest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 22 | — | — |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hampden Academy | — | — |
| 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.