Compare towns
Gray vs York vs Hampden vs Hermon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
York has the most expensive homes ($636k median).
Hampden has the most kids (25.8% under 18).
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 | York | Hampden | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
13,986Highest |
7,896 |
6,727Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
49.5±5.2Highest 10% above ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
| York and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.1%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Hermon 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% |
27.9%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| York and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% ME: 36.2% |
53.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| 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 27% above ME |
$121,250±$25kHighest 62% above ME |
$111,959±$13k 50% above ME |
$96,629±$22k 29% above ME |
| York 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 23% above ME |
$636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
$333,600±$32k 12% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,490±$336Highest 31% above ME |
$1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
| York and Hermon 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 |
$4,658Highest 53% above ME |
$3,694 22% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
56.5%±10.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1 ME: 48.4% |
| York 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 ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| York 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 | #13 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | York Public Schools | RSU 22 | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | York High School | Hampden Academy | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
9.6Lowest |
14.8Highest |
14.6 |
| 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.