Compare towns

Gray vs Mars Hill

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%).
Mars Hill has the most affordable homes ($164k 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.

MeasureGrayMars Hill
People
Population
8,429Highest
1,398Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.5%Highest
ME: +2.6%
-8.9%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
43.4±4.5
3% below ME
43.4±3
3% below ME
Kids under 18
19%±4Lowest
ME: 18.1%
22.9%±5.7Highest
ME: 18.1%
Mars Hill and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.3%±4Lowest
ME: 22.4%
24.5%±5.8Highest
ME: 22.4%
Mars Hill 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%
26%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.4%±2.2Highest
ME: 5.8%
4.8%±3.4Lowest
ME: 5.8%
Gray and Mars Hill 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
$65,273±$9kLowest
13% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$363,700±$20kHighest
23% above ME
$163,600±$23kLowest
45% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,371±$89Highest
20% above ME
$488±$96Lowest
57% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,683Highest
21% above ME
$1,843Lowest
39% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
56.4%±24Highest
ME: 48.4%
30.6%±7.1Lowest
ME: 48.4%
Gray and Mars Hill 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%
9.6%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.4%Highest
ME: 74.3%
70.6%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1983Highest
6 yrs newer than ME
1967Lowest
10 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 minHighest
16% above ME
21 minLowest
14% below ME
Work from home
12.3%±3.5Highest
ME: 15.9%
6.9%±6.6Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Gray and Mars Hill 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 42/MSAD 42
High school in town Gray-New Gloucester High School Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S
Students per teacherat that high school
12.5Highest
8.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.