Compare towns
Lagrange vs Gray vs Howland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lagrange has the most affordable homes ($126k median).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Howland has the oldest population (median age 47.6).
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 | Lagrange | Gray | Howland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 709Lowest |
8,429Highest |
1,367 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±13.8 about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
47.6±10.2Highest 6% above ME |
| Howland and Lagrange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.7%±11.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22%±5.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Lagrange and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
22.8%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Howland and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
12% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,417±$14k 22% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$49,297±$21kLowest 34% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $126,000±$33kLowest 58% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$150,100±$52k 49% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $831±$151Lowest 27% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$916±$246 20% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $869Lowest 71% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,546 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±56.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
29%±18.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Lagrange and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
25.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 45% above ME |
29 minLowest 16% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.1%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
0%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gray and Lagrange 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 | — |
| School district | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 31/MSAD 31 |
| High school in town | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Penobscot Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
8.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.