Compare towns
Gray vs Wayne vs Hampden vs New Gloucester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
Hampden has the most affordable homes ($301k median).
New Gloucester has the youngest population (median age 40.1).
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 | Wayne | Hampden | New Gloucester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
1,101Lowest |
7,896 |
5,766 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
41±2.9 8% below ME |
40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and New Gloucester 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% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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 27% above ME |
$93,194±$26kLowest 25% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$108,797±$12k 46% above ME |
| Hampden and New Gloucester 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 |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
$357,100±$29k 20% above ME |
| Gray and Wayne 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±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,286±$317 13% above ME |
$1,150±$249 about the ME average |
| 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 |
$3,289Lowest 8% above ME |
$3,694Highest 22% above ME |
$3,417 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Wayne 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% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.9% 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 |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 | #65 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 38 | RSU 22 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Hampden Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.