Compare towns
Gray vs Hermon vs Naples vs Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the oldest housing (typical home built 1983).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Naples has the most people working from home (26.7%).
Berwick has the most kids (22.7% under 18).
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 | Naples | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
6,727 |
3,985Lowest |
8,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
49.8±6.8Highest 11% above ME |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
| Naples and Gray 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% |
21.6%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Hermon 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% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Naples and Hermon 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% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
37.9% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| 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±$8k 27% above ME |
$96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
$78,188±$13kLowest 5% above ME |
$94,771±$24k 27% above ME |
| Hermon 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 |
$333,600±$32kLowest 12% above ME |
$340,100±$48k 15% above ME |
$369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
| Berwick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Lowest 20% above ME |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
$1,941±$625Highest 70% above ME |
$1,452±$430 27% above ME |
| Naples and Berwick 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 |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
$2,784 8% below ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
59.9%±40.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
| Naples and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
9.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.7%±11.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Naples and Berwick 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 | #54 of 133 in ME | #118 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hermon High School | Lake Region High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
14.6Highest |
11.7Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.