Compare towns
Gray vs Upton vs Brewer 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
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
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 | Upton | Brewer | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
8,189 |
9,652Highest |
6,727Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7 6% above U.S. |
| Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Hermon 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Upton 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer 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±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$96,629±$22k 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$333,600±$32k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,406±$202Highest about the U.S. average |
| 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,374 8% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Brewer 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | #46 of 282 in MA | #32 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Brewer Public Schools | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Blackstone Valley | Brewer High School | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
11.2Lowest |
14.0 |
14.6Highest |
| 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.