Compare towns
Lenox vs Gray vs Nahant
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lenox has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Nahant has the most expensive homes ($749k median).
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 | Lenox | Gray | Nahant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,079 |
8,429Highest |
3,325Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.1±4.3 54% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
60.7±2.9Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Nahant and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.3%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
11%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 40.1%±7.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
36.2%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lenox and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,080±$31k 31% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$112,762±$6kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Nahant and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $466,700±$43k 40% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$748,800±$99kHighest 125% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,091±$238Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,777±$334Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Nahant and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,299 70% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,615Highest 112% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.2%±18.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.3%±8.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Nahant and Lenox 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 | #90 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | #129 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lenox | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Nahant |
| High school in town | Lenox Memorial High | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.6Lowest |
12.5Highest |
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| 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.