Compare towns
Gray vs Hermon vs Northfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Northfield has the most people working from home (16.5%).
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 | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
6,727 |
2,872Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
48.9±4.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Northfield 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% |
21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hermon 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% |
20.4%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Northfield 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.4% 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% |
4.4%±3Lowest 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. |
$103,375±$10kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Northfield 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 |
$375,800±$31kHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Northfield and Gray 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 |
$1,142±$200Lowest 19% 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. |
$4,594Highest 47% 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% |
49.2%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Northfield 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% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest 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. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.5%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Northfield and Gray 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 | #231 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hermon Public Schools | Pioneer Valley |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hermon High School | Pioneer Valley Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
14.6Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.