Compare towns
Gray vs Weare vs Hampden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Weare has the most homeowners (93.5%).
Hampden has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Weare | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
9,170Highest |
7,896Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
45.6±4Highest 17% above U.S. |
41±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Weare 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% |
22.4%±4 U.S.: 22% |
25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampden and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.5%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Hampden 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 18% above U.S. |
$118,271±$17kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$111,959±$13k 39% above U.S. |
| Weare 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±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$396,300±$26kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$301,300±$38kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Weare and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,541±$214Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,286±$317Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Weare and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,272Highest 101% above U.S. |
$3,694 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.2%±24.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Weare and Gray 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Weare 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 | #84 of 120 in NH | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | John Stark Regional High School | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
11.4Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.