Compare towns
Gray vs Hebron vs Paris vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hebron has the most homeowners (97.1%).
Paris has the most renters (39.8% rent).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Hebron | Paris | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
1,105Lowest |
5,317 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
-13.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.1% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
43.8±5.1 about the ME average |
48.2±5.6Highest 8% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
| Paris and Hebron are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
15.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Hebron are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
19.5%±1.2 ME: 22.4% |
24.6%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Paris and Hebron are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
28.8% ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Paris 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 27% above ME |
$92,550±$19k 24% above ME |
$75,137±$20kLowest about the ME average |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Windham 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 23% above ME |
$242,300±$26k 18% below ME |
$240,400±$57kLowest 19% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
— | — | $1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 21% above ME |
$2,323Lowest 23% below ME |
$2,649 13% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
— | 62.3%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Paris and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
97.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
60.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
22 minLowest 9% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.9%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.4%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Paris and Windham 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 | — | #114 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | — | 12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.