Compare towns
Gray vs Lancaster vs Mendon
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 affordable homes ($364k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Mendon has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
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 | Lancaster | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
8,606Highest |
6,325Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Mendon 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% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Gray 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. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33k 64% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,840±$196 30% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$7,213 131% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Lancaster 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | #145 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Nashoba | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — |
| 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.