Compare towns
Hampden vs Strafford 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 people working from home (21.3%).
Strafford has the most expensive homes ($431k median).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
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 | Strafford | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,896 |
1,372Lowest |
8,429Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
| Strafford 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% |
23%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampden and Strafford 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% |
22.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Strafford 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest 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. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
| Hampden and Strafford 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. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$317 9% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
| Gray and Hampden 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. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Strafford 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampden and Strafford 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 22 | Strafford School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Hampden Academy | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 12.5Lowest |
| 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.