Compare towns
Gray vs Hartford vs Williston
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%).
Hartford has the most affordable homes ($305k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Hartford | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
10,736Highest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
43.2±3.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Williston and Gray 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% |
18%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston 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% |
22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartford and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Gray 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. |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Williston 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±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,773Highest 85% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Williston 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% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Hartford 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hartford School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hartford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
9.6Lowest |
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| 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.