Compare towns
Alna vs Edgecomb vs Gray vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alna has the most kids (32.9% under 18).
Edgecomb has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k 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 | Alna | Edgecomb | Gray | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 818Lowest |
1,251 |
8,429Highest |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% ME: +2.6% |
-4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±10.5Lowest 9% below ME |
41±8.8 8% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
| Gray and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 32.9%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.9%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Alna and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±7.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Edgecomb and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3% ME: 36.2% |
39.8% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
8%±6.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Edgecomb and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $93,125±$16k 25% above ME |
$108,750±$18kHighest 46% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$91,731±$25kLowest 23% above ME |
| Edgecomb and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $367,400±$55kHighest 24% above ME |
$348,400±$36k 17% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Alna and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$176 4% below ME |
— | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,667 21% above ME |
$3,577 18% above ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±70.4 ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±43.8 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.6% ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7% ME: 74.3% |
90.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
22 minLowest 10% below ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Alna and Edgecomb 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 | — | Edgecomb Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| 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 |
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.