Compare towns
Bangor vs Gray vs Auburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bangor has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Auburn has the most kids (21.4% 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 | Bangor | Gray | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
8,429Lowest |
24,602 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
| Gray and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±2.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Auburn and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$282,000±$12k 5% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,041±$74Lowest 9% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076Lowest about the ME average |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$3,687Highest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.4%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
22 min 12% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.5%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Gray and Auburn 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 | #37 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #110 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Auburn Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Edward Little High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
12.5Lowest |
13.1 |
| 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.