Compare towns
Gray vs Hampden vs Smithfield
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 most expensive homes ($364k median).
Hampden has the most kids (25.8% under 18).
Smithfield has the oldest population (median age 55.8).
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 | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
7,896 |
856Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Gray 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% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest 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±$8kLowest 27% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$107,917±$27k 44% above ME |
| Hampden and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$301,300±$38k about the ME average |
$242,800±$15kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,286±$317 13% above ME |
$1,109±$358Lowest about the ME average |
| Gray and Hampden 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 |
$3,694Highest 22% above ME |
$2,866Lowest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Smithfield 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Hampden 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 | — |
| 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 |
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.