Compare towns
Gray vs New Gloucester vs Hermon vs Hampden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
New Gloucester has the youngest population (median age 40.1).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | New Gloucester | Hermon | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
5,766Lowest |
6,727 |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
41±2.9 8% below ME |
| Gray and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Hermon 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% ME: 36.2% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Hampden 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 27% above ME |
$108,797±$12k 46% above ME |
$96,629±$22k 29% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
| Hampden and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$357,100±$29k 20% above ME |
$333,600±$32k 12% above ME |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
| Gray and New Gloucester 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 |
$1,150±$249Lowest about the ME average |
$1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
$1,286±$317 13% 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 | $3,683 21% above ME |
$3,417 13% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,694Highest 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Hermon 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% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.9% ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and New Gloucester 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 | #65 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Hermon High School | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | 14.6 |
14.8Highest |
| 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.