Compare towns
Hampden vs Epping vs Gray
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 (25.8% under 18).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Gray has the most renters (17.6% 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 | Epping | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,896 |
7,430Lowest |
8,429Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
| Epping and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Hampden and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest 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 | $111,959±$13kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
| Hampden and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,300±$38kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$317Lowest 9% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
| Epping and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,694 18% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.3%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 22 | Epping School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Hampden Academy | Epping High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
9.3Lowest |
12.5 |
| 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.