Compare towns
Gray vs Lancaster vs Windham vs Hermon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($216k median).
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | Windham | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
3,216Lowest |
19,188Highest |
6,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
45.5±6.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Lancaster 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% |
20.9%±6.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hermon 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% |
28.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster 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% |
30.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1 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±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$68,911±$23kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$96,629±$22k 20% above U.S. |
| Windham 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. |
$215,700±$24kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$333,600±$32k about the U.S. average |
| Windham 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 |
$1,019±$263Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,406±$202Highest about the U.S. average |
| 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. |
$4,226Highest 35% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.1%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray 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% |
16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1942Lowest 38 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | #107 of 120 in NH | #95 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | White Mountains Regional School District | RSU 14 | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Windham High School | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | 12.1Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.