Compare towns
Hampden vs Upton vs Gray vs Bangor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampden has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
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 | Hampden | Upton | Gray | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,161Lowest |
8,189 |
8,429 |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±6.3 6% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41±1.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Upton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±7.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampden and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,228±$22k 39% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$59,942±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Upton and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,900±$33k 14% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$219,600±$10kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$375 20% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,055±$43 25% below U.S. |
| Gray and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,863 24% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$3,076Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.2%±18Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.5%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
47.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton 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 | #6 of 133 in ME | #46 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
12.5 |
13.3Highest |
| 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.