Compare towns
Ashby vs Gray vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashby has the oldest population (median age 50.5).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Ashby | Gray | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211Lowest |
8,429 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashby and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034Highest 93% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Ashby 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 | #200 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | North Middlesex | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.