Compare towns
Hampden vs Upton 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 shortest commute (23 min average).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k 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 | Upton | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,896Lowest |
8,189 |
8,429Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% 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 | 25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Lowest 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+ | 17.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton 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% |
53.5%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% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest 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±$13k 39% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above 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 | $301,300±$38kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$317 9% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest 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 | 7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.3%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest 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 |
| School district | RSU 22 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Hampden Academy | Blackstone Valley | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
11.2Lowest |
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.