Compare towns
Gray vs Mount Desert vs Vinalhaven vs Hermon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Vinalhaven has the oldest population (median age 65.1).
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 | Mount Desert | Vinalhaven | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
1,671 |
1,216Lowest |
6,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.8% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
65.1±3.9Highest 45% above ME |
41.1±4.7Lowest 8% below ME |
| Vinalhaven and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
11.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hermon 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% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
50.4%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.7% ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| 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 27% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$72,963±$11kLowest about the ME average |
$96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
| Hermon and Gray 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 |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$428,400±$44k 44% above ME |
$333,600±$32kLowest 12% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Vinalhaven 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 |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$1,017±$924Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,406±$202Highest 23% 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 | $3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$3,598 19% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
53.6%±41.5 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Vinalhaven 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% |
7.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
86.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Vinalhaven and Mount Desert 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 |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | — | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | — | 14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.