Compare towns
Berwick vs Gray vs Hampden vs Winthrop
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
Gray has the most renters (17.6% rent).
Hampden has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Winthrop has the most people working from home (23.1%).
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 | Gray | Hampden | Winthrop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,175 |
8,429Highest |
7,896 |
6,191Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41±2.9 8% below ME |
43.6±5.3Highest about the ME average |
| Winthrop and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.4%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Winthrop 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
40% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,771±$24k 27% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$86,470±$4kLowest 16% above ME |
| Hampden and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$301,300±$38k about the ME average |
$294,800±$41kLowest about the ME average |
| Berwick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,286±$317 13% above ME |
$892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
| Berwick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,436Highest 46% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$3,694 22% above ME |
$3,506Lowest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.8%±22.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.2% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 20% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.2%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Winthrop and Hampden 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 | #6 of 133 in ME | #12 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 22 | Winthrop Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hampden Academy | Winthrop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
14.8Highest |
11.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.