Compare towns
Gray vs Worcester 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
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
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 | Worcester | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
207,055Highest |
6,727Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
41.1±4.7 6% above U.S. |
| Gray and Hermon 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%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hermon and Worcester 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% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hermon 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$96,629±$22kHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Hermon and Gray 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. |
$374,400±$7kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$333,600±$32kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Worcester and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,487±$38Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,406±$202 about the U.S. average |
| Worcester and Hermon 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. |
$4,733Highest 52% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Worcester 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% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±1 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gray and Worcester 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 | #266 of 282 in MA | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | South High Community | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
14.6Highest |
14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.