Compare towns
Gray vs South Windham vs Hampden
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 expensive homes ($364k median).
South Windham has the highest household income ($133k).
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 | South Windham | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
1,212Lowest |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
36.5±13.2Lowest 19% below ME |
41±2.9 8% below ME |
| Gray and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
3.6%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
7.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% ME: 36.2% |
35.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
6.9%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| South Windham 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 27% above ME |
$133,223±$21kHighest 78% above ME |
$111,959±$13k 50% above ME |
| South Windham and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$314,300±$81k 6% above ME |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
| Gray and South Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,824±$2kHighest 60% above ME |
$1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME |
| South Windham and Gray 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 |
$2,941Lowest 3% below ME |
$3,694Highest 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±27.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
| 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.5%±15.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| South Windham and Hampden 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 | — | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
| 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.