Compare towns
Appleton vs Gray vs New Gloucester vs Newburgh
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
New Gloucester has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
Newburgh has the most renters (18.8% rent).
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 | Appleton | Gray | New Gloucester | Newburgh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
8,429Highest |
5,766 |
1,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
45.8±5.7 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| New Gloucester and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.7% ME: 36.2% |
29.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
| New Gloucester and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$357,100±$29k 20% above ME |
$244,600±$20k 18% below ME |
| Gray and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,150±$249 about the ME average |
$950±$219Lowest 17% below ME |
| Gray and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$3,417 13% above ME |
$2,748Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
11.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| New Gloucester 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 | #65 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | — |
| 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.