Compare towns
Baldwin vs Gray vs Steep Falls vs Cornish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Baldwin has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
Gray has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Steep Falls has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Cornish has the youngest population (median age 39).
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 | Baldwin | Gray | Steep Falls | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,170Lowest |
8,429Highest |
1,861 |
1,803 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.4% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.6±4.6Highest 13% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
| Baldwin and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.7% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Baldwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,045±$8kLowest 9% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$80,280±$33k 7% above ME |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
| Gray and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,200±$38k 11% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$243,400±$31kLowest 18% below ME |
$274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
| Gray and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
$1,196±$148Lowest 5% above ME |
| Steep Falls and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,540 16% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$3,273 8% above ME |
$2,309Lowest 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±42.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 32% above ME |
29 minLowest 16% above ME |
31 min 25% above ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Gray and Baldwin 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 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | — |
| High school 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 | 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.