Compare towns
Berwick vs Franklin vs Gray vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berwick has the most people working from home (13.7%).
Franklin has the oldest population (median age 46).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
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 | Berwick | Franklin | Gray | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,998 |
1,628Lowest |
8,429Highest |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.6 5% below ME |
46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
| Franklin and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±12.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±8.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.4% ME: 36.2% |
28.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$39k 9% above ME |
$65,455±$16kLowest 12% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
| Gray and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,300±$36k 9% above ME |
$245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Gray and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$901 9% below ME |
$888±$306 22% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Gray and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,806Highest 25% above ME |
$2,231 27% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% ME: 10.7% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
76.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.7%±7.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick 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 | #101 of 133 in ME | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school 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.