Compare towns
Gray vs North Haven vs Vinalhaven
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 most affordable homes ($364k median).
North Haven has the shortest commute (9 min average).
Vinalhaven has the oldest population (median age 65.1).
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 Haven | Vinalhaven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
480Lowest |
1,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +9.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
49.6±6.6 11% above ME |
65.1±3.9Highest 45% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
19.6%±6.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| North Haven 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% |
32.5%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
50.4%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
55.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Vinalhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$87,500±$22k 17% above ME |
$72,963±$11kLowest about the ME average |
| Gray and North Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 23% above ME |
$440,200±$46kHighest 48% above ME |
$428,400±$44k 44% above ME |
| North Haven and Vinalhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$913±$318Lowest 20% below ME |
$1,017±$924 11% below ME |
| Gray and Vinalhaven 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 |
$3,824Highest 26% above ME |
$3,598Lowest 19% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
47.6%±67.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.6%±41.5 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% |
8.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
82%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1966 11 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
9 minLowest 65% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Vinalhaven and North Haven 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 | — | — |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.