Compare towns
Gray vs Howland vs Lagrange
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Howland has the oldest population (median age 47.6).
Lagrange has the most affordable homes ($126k median).
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 | Howland | Lagrange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
1,367 |
709Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-10.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
47.6±10.2Highest 6% above ME |
45.9±13.8 about the ME average |
| Howland and Lagrange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22%±5.3 ME: 18.1% |
24.7%±11.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lagrange and Howland 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% |
22.8%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Howland and Gray 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% |
12% ME: 36.2% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$49,297±$21kLowest 34% below ME |
$58,417±$14k 22% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$150,100±$52k 49% below ME |
$126,000±$33kLowest 58% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$916±$246 20% below ME |
$831±$151Lowest 27% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,546 49% below ME |
$869Lowest 71% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
29%±18.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±56.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Lagrange 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% |
25.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
18.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 16% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
36 minHighest 45% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
0%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.1%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Gray and Lagrange 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 31/MSAD 31 | — |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Penobscot Valley High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
8.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.