Compare towns
Gray vs Hermon vs Strafford
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%).
Strafford has the most people working from home (16.1%).
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 | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
6,727 |
1,372Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Gray 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% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford 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% |
22.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Strafford 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% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Strafford 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. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Strafford 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 |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,406±$202Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% 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. |
$7,149Highest 129% 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% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Strafford 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Strafford 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 | — |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hermon Public Schools | Strafford 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.