Compare towns
Alton vs Gray vs Burnham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alton has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Burnham has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Alton | Gray | Burnham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 819Lowest |
8,429Highest |
953 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.1±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
48.4±3.2 8% above ME |
| Alton and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.2%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Burnham and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,955±$9k 16% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$59,261±$18kLowest 21% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $179,500±$25k 39% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$178,100±$43kLowest 40% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $866±$48Lowest 24% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,308±$386 15% above ME |
| Gray and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,476Lowest 51% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,897 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.3%±88.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.9%±49 ME: 48.4% |
| Alton and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 24.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
22 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.3%±7.3 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Burnham and Alton 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 34 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — |
| 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.