Compare towns
Gray vs Shirley vs Hermon
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 homeowners (82.4%).
Shirley has the most people working from home (21%).
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 | Shirley | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
6,976 |
6,727Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
44.3±3.4Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Shirley and Gray 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% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hermon 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% |
19.8%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hermon and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Shirley and Gray 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. |
$122,365±$16kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$96,629±$22k 20% above U.S. |
| Shirley and Hermon 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. |
$427,600±$36kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$333,600±$32kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,481±$421Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,406±$202 about the U.S. average |
| Shirley and Hermon 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. |
$5,156Highest 65% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±21.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Shirley 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% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 53% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±7.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shirley and Gray 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 | #239 of 282 in MA | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Ayer Shirley School District | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | 14.6Highest |
| 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.