Compare towns
Gray vs Hampton vs Wells vs York
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).
Hampton has the most renters (26.2% rent).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
York has the highest household income ($121k).
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 | Wells | York |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
16,426Highest |
11,713 |
13,986 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
49.5±5.2 27% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| York 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% |
30.9%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.9%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Hampton 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% |
42.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Wells 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. |
$95,233±$9k 18% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$121,250±$25kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| York 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. |
$550,200±$39k 65% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$636,400±$30kHighest 91% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,628±$94Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,490±$336 5% above U.S. |
| Hampton and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$6,813Highest 118% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$4,658 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.8%±10.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.5%±10.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton and York 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% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
26%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| York and Hampton 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 | #31 of 120 in NH | #22 of 133 in ME | #13 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | York Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Winnacunnet High School | Wells High School | York High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
10.1 |
11.4 |
9.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.