Compare towns
Gray vs Jackson vs Wells vs Hermon
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).
Jackson has the most affordable homes ($232k median).
Wells has the most expensive homes ($485k median).
Hermon has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Jackson | Wells | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
567Lowest |
11,713Highest |
6,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3% ME: +2.6% |
+18% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hermon and Gray 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% |
17.5%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.9% ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 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 |
$75,167±$19kLowest about the ME average |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$96,629±$22kHighest 29% 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 |
$231,500±$16kLowest 22% below ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$333,600±$32k 12% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
| Hermon and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$2,651Lowest 13% below ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$2,761 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Wells 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% |
13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1993 16 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wells and Jackson 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 | — | #22 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | Wells High School | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | 11.4Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.