Compare towns
Gray vs Needham vs Topsham vs Hermon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Topsham has the oldest population (median age 44.7).
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 | Needham | Topsham | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
32,459Highest |
9,706 |
6,727Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
44.7±4Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Topsham 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Needham and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$96,629±$22k 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20k 8% above U.S. |
$333,600±$32kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,406±$202 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Needham 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% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | #19 of 282 in MA | #66 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Needham | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Needham High | Mt Ararat High School | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
11.9Lowest |
12.2 |
14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.