Compare towns
Vinalhaven vs Gray vs Fayette
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Vinalhaven has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
Gray has the highest household income ($95k).
Fayette has the most affordable homes ($258k 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 | Vinalhaven | Gray | Fayette |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,216Lowest |
8,429Highest |
1,383 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 65.1±3.9Highest 45% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
58.8±4.2 31% above ME |
| Vinalhaven and Fayette are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.7%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Fayette are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 50.4%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
37.2%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Vinalhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,963±$11k about the ME average |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$59,500±$17kLowest 20% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,400±$44kHighest 44% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$257,600±$48kLowest 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$924 11% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$983±$816Lowest 14% below ME |
| Gray and Vinalhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,598 19% above ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$3,160Lowest 4% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.6%±41.5 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
46.8%±43.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Vinalhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.1%±7.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Fayette and Vinalhaven 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 | Fayette Public Schools |
| High school 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 |
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.