Compare towns
Gray vs Webster vs Whitman 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 the oldest population (median age 43.4).
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Whitman has the most expensive homes ($473k median).
Hampden has the most people working from home (21.3%).
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 | Webster | Whitman | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
17,748Highest |
15,295 |
7,896Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.4±1.8 4% above U.S. |
41±2.9 5% above U.S. |
| Gray and Hampden 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% |
19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampden and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Webster and Gray 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% |
25.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster 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. |
$72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$108,933±$14k 35% above U.S. |
$111,959±$13kHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Hampden and Whitman 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. |
$361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$472,700±$12kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$301,300±$38kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,228±$81Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,771±$151Highest 25% above U.S. |
$1,286±$317 9% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,999 28% above U.S. |
$5,824Highest 87% above U.S. |
$3,694 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±13.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whitman and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampden and Gray 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Webster | Whitman-Hanson | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Bartlett High School | None in town | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
11.6Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
| 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.