Compare towns
Newfane vs Gray vs Fairlee vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
Gray has the most kids (19% under 18).
Fairlee has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Newfane | Gray | Fairlee | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,456 |
8,429Highest |
1,066Lowest |
1,113 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.4±3.9 40% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5 37% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,719±$21kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
$100,524±$23kHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,200±$49k 15% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$274,200±$39kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$357,000±$44k 7% above U.S. |
| Gray and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,266±$238 10% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,083±$242Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
| Gray and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,174 66% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,617Highest 80% above U.S. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.9%±79.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.8%±12.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfane and Mendon 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 | West River Valley Union Education District #72A | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Rivendell Interstate School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.