Compare towns
Gray vs Standish vs Hampden vs Windham
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 oldest population (median age 43.4).
Standish has the most homeowners (91.2%).
Hampden has the most kids (25.8% under 18).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Standish | Hampden | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
10,662 |
7,896Lowest |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41±2.9 8% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Gray and Windham 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% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Windham 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% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 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% |
36%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kLowest 27% above ME |
$104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
| Hampden and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,286±$317 13% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
| Gray and Hampden 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 |
$3,005Lowest about the ME average |
$3,694 22% above ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Standish and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Windham 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 22 | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Bonny Eagle High School | Hampden Academy | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
12.5 |
14.8Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.