Compare towns
Gray vs Hampden vs Townsend
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 oldest population (median age 43.4).
Hampden has the most people working from home (21.3%).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k 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 | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
7,896Lowest |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
41±2.9 5% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Hampden and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray and Hampden 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% |
35.5%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% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest 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. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Townsend 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. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,286±$317Lowest 9% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Gray 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. |
$6,031Highest 93% 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% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Townsend 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampden and Gray 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 | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 22 | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hampden Academy | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
14.8Highest |
13.1 |
| 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.