Compare towns
Gray vs Mendon vs Strafford
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 youngest population (median age 43.4).
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
Strafford has the most kids (23% 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 | Mendon | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
1,113Lowest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Strafford 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. |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Strafford 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±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Gray 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. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest 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% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Strafford 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 | — | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | 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.