What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bethel has the most people working from home (27.7%).

Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bethel	Gray
People
Population	2,617Lowest	8,429Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	50.2±6.4Highest 12% above ME	43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME
	Bethel and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1%	19%±4Highest ME: 18.1%
	Gray and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	29.3%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4%	19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Bethel and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%	44.8%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8%	5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8%
	Gray and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$58,929±$23kLowest 21% below ME	$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$344,900±$37kLowest 16% above ME	$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME
	Gray and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$864±$43Lowest 24% below ME	$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,835Lowest 7% below ME	$3,683Highest 21% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	21.3%±15.4Lowest ME: 48.4%	56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4%
	Gray and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.9%Highest ME: 10.7%	3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.9%Highest ME: 74.3%	82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME	1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 5% above ME	29 minHighest 16% above ME
Work from home	27.7%±8.1Highest ME: 15.9%	12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#49 of 133 in ME	#10 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 44/MSAD 44	RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences
High school in town	Telstar High School	Gray-New Gloucester High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Lowest	12.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.