Compare towns
Gray vs Sharon 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 expensive homes ($364k median).
Sharon has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
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 | Sharon | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
1,577Lowest |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
41±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampden and Sharon 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% |
25.1%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sharon 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest 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±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$111,959±$13kHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Hampden 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±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
$301,300±$38kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Gray and Sharon 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 |
$1,386±$155Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,286±$317Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Sharon and Gray 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. |
$5,903Highest 89% above U.S. |
$3,694 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
22.2%±15.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Hampden 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampden and Sharon 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 | — | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Sharon School District | 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 |
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.