Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Brighton vs Gray vs Ogunquit
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellows Falls has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Bellows Falls | Brighton | Gray | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
1,167Lowest |
8,429Highest |
1,379 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.2±11.6 16% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2k 31% below U.S. |
$47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35k 41% below U.S. |
$163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
$775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448 43% above U.S. |
$3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$4,473Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
22% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Brighton School District | 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 | 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.