Compare towns
Gray vs Reading vs Hermon vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
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 | Reading | Hermon | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
699Lowest |
6,727 |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| Reading and Topsham 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% |
18.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Hermon and Topsham 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% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Topsham 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% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$96,629±$22kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10k 13% above U.S. |
| Hermon and Gray 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. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$333,600±$32kLowest about the U.S. average |
$360,800±$20k 8% above U.S. |
| Reading and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,406±$202Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
| 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 18% above U.S. |
$5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Gray 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% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Topsham 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 | — | #54 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Hermon High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | 14.6Highest |
12.2Lowest |
| 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.