Compare towns
Alton vs Gray vs Lagrange
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 most people working from home (15.3%).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Lagrange has the most kids (24.7% under 18).
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 | Lagrange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 819 |
8,429Highest |
709Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.9% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.1±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
45.9±13.8 about the ME average |
| Alton and Lagrange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
24.7%±11.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lagrange and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Alton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.2% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Lagrange 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 |
$58,417±$14kLowest 22% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $179,500±$25k 39% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$126,000±$33kLowest 58% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $866±$48 24% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$831±$151Lowest 27% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,476 51% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$869Lowest 71% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.3%±88.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±56.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Alton and Lagrange 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% |
18.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
72.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 min 16% above ME |
36 minHighest 45% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.3%±7.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.1%±4.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Alton 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 | — | #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.