Compare towns
Berwick vs Gray vs Old Orchard Beach
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 affordable homes ($364k median).
Old Orchard Beach has the oldest population (median age 58).
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 | Old Orchard Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,175Lowest |
8,429 |
9,244Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
58±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
6.5%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Gray 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% |
33.5%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
7%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Old Orchard Beach and Gray 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±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$60,050±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
| Gray and Berwick 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±$20kLowest 23% above ME |
$366,600±$38k 24% above ME |
| Berwick and Old Orchard Beach 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 |
$1,246±$182Lowest 9% above 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 |
$3,426Lowest 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±46Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.7%±15 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Old Orchard Beach 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% |
14.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 20% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
22 minLowest 11% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick and Old Orchard Beach 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 | #67 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 23 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Old Orchard Beach High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
7.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.