Compare towns
Lisbon vs Hampden vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lisbon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Hampden has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k 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 | Lisbon | Hampden | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,750Highest |
7,896Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
41±2.9 8% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
| Gray and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| 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 | $77,819±$9kLowest 4% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| Hampden and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$26kLowest 13% below ME |
$301,300±$38k about the ME average |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,286±$317 13% above ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
| Gray and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,324Lowest 9% above ME |
$3,694Highest 22% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 17% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Lisbon 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 | #60 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lisbon Public Schools | RSU 22 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Lisbon High School | Hampden Academy | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.8Highest |
14.8 |
12.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.