Compare towns
Gray vs Hermon vs Nelson
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 expensive homes ($364k median).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
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 | Nelson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
6,727 |
648Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
42.3±11.7 9% above U.S. |
| Gray and Nelson 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%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson and Hermon 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%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Nelson 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.1%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% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest 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. |
$99,792±$23kHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Nelson 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±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$333,600±$32kLowest about the U.S. average |
$340,900±$49k about the U.S. average |
| Gray and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,406±$202Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,203±$243Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Hermon and Gray 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. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$5,575Highest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Nelson 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% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hermon Public Schools | Nelson School District |
| 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.