Compare towns
Gray vs Ogunquit vs Lancaster vs Hampden
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 renters (17.6% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Lancaster has the highest household income ($135k).
Hampden has the most kids (25.8% under 18).
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 | Ogunquit | Lancaster | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
1,379Lowest |
8,606Highest |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
41±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampden and Lancaster 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 18% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$111,959±$13k 39% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$301,300±$38kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
— | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,286±$317Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$3,694 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
22.2%±15.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Gray 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Lancaster 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | Nashoba | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | None in town | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | — | 14.8Highest |
| 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.