Compare towns
Gray vs Lee vs Hermon vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lee has the most affordable homes ($175k median).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Lee | Hermon | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
925Lowest |
6,727 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
-0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
51.5±11.5Highest 15% above ME |
41.1±4.7Lowest 8% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Lee and Gray 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% |
21.8%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Lee and Hermon 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% |
24.5%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Lee 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 ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Lee 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 |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
$96,629±$22k 29% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| 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 23% above ME |
$174,500±$25kLowest 41% below ME |
$333,600±$32k 12% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| 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 20% above ME |
— | $1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
$1,232±$332Lowest 8% 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 | $3,683 21% above ME |
$1,547Lowest 49% below ME |
$2,761 9% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Lee and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% ME: 10.7% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| 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 | — | #54 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 30/MSAD 30 | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Hermon High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | 14.6Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| 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.