Compare towns
Gray vs Vinalhaven vs Hermon vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Vinalhaven has the oldest population (median age 65.1).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Vinalhaven | Hermon | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
1,216Lowest |
6,727 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.8% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
65.1±3.9Highest 45% above ME |
41.1±4.7Lowest 8% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
11.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Hermon and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
50.4%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% ME: 36.2% |
45.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Hermon 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 27% above ME |
$72,963±$11kLowest about the ME average |
$96,629±$22k 29% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Windham 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 23% above ME |
$428,400±$44kHighest 44% above ME |
$333,600±$32kLowest 12% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
| Vinalhaven and 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 |
$1,017±$924Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
| 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 21% above ME |
$3,598 19% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.6%±41.5 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Vinalhaven 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
86.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Vinalhaven 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 | — | #54 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | Hermon High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | 14.6Highest |
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.