Compare towns
Gray vs North Hampton vs Rye
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 affordable homes ($364k median).
North Hampton has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
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 | North Hampton | Rye |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
4,543Lowest |
5,611 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
50.5±3.3 30% above U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Rye and North Hampton 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% |
19.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| North Hampton 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% |
26%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rye and North Hampton 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% |
54.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and North Hampton 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. |
$146,458±$29kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$140,655±$39k 74% above U.S. |
| North Hampton and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$670,400±$61k 102% above U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,805±$106Highest 28% above U.S. |
$1,781±$156 26% above U.S. |
| North Hampton and Rye 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. |
$8,529Highest 173% above U.S. |
$7,519 141% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.5%±21Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rye and North Hampton 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 | #12 of 120 in NH | #2 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | North Hampton School District | Rye School District |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.