Compare towns
Gray vs Hermon vs Lancaster
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 oldest population (median age 43.4).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Hermon | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
6,727Lowest |
8,606Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
| Gray and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Hermon and Lancaster 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% |
20.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hermon and Lancaster 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% |
37.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$96,629±$22k 20% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Hermon 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. |
$333,600±$32kLowest about the U.S. average |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,406±$202 about the U.S. average |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hermon Public Schools | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hermon High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
14.6Highest |
— |
| 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.