Compare towns
Gray vs Mendon vs Hampden
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 renters (17.6% rent).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
Hampden has the most people working from home (21.3%).
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 | Mendon | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
6,325Lowest |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4Highest 13% above U.S. |
41±2.9Lowest 5% 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% |
22.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampden and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray and Hampden 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% |
46.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2.3Lowest 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. |
$132,256±$33kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$111,959±$13k 39% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Hampden 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. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$301,300±$38kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,286±$317Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$7,213Highest 131% above U.S. |
$3,694 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampden and Mendon 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Mendon-Upton | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
| 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.