Compare towns
Gray vs Hampstead vs Meredith
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 most affordable homes ($364k median).
Hampstead has the highest household income ($112k).
Meredith has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Hampstead | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
9,102Highest |
6,758Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
45.3±6.1 16% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampstead and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Hampstead 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 18% above U.S. |
$112,348±$18kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Hampstead 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±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$521,100±$45kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
| Hampstead and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,299±$149 8% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Gray and Hampstead 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. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±20.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Meredith 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% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Hampstead 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 | #49 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hampstead School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| 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.