Compare towns
Alfred vs Gray vs Lyman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alfred has the most affordable homes ($342k median).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Lyman has the most people working from home (18.9%).
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 | Alfred | Gray | Lyman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,125Lowest |
8,429Highest |
4,612 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±5.3 about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
53.8±2Highest 20% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.4%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Lyman and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,321±$18kLowest 10% above ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$87,284±$14k 17% above ME |
| Gray and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,300±$38kLowest 15% above ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$360,400±$44k 22% above ME |
| Gray and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,035±$432Lowest 9% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,063±$522 7% below ME |
| Gray and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,543 17% above ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$2,717Lowest 11% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
37.7%±44.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Alfred and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
95%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Lyman and Gray 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 | #74 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #40 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| 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 |
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.