Compare towns
Gray vs Hampton vs Ellsworth
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 homeowners (82.4%).
Hampton has the most people working from home (21.7%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Hampton | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
16,426Highest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S. |
43±2.4Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Ellsworth 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% |
30.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$95,233±$9k 18% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Gray and Hampton 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. |
$550,200±$39kHighest 65% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,628±$94Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$6,813Highest 118% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.8%±10.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Hampton 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% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | #31 of 120 in NH | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Winnacunnet High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
10.1Lowest |
12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.