Compare towns

Brewer vs Gray vs Upton vs Windham

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).

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.

MeasureBrewerGrayUptonWindham
People
Population
9,652
8,429
8,189Lowest
19,188Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
40.1±4.8Lowest
3% above U.S.
43.4±4.5
12% above U.S.
46.4±4.8Highest
19% above U.S.
41.8±1.8
7% above U.S.
Upton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
20.9%±4.3
U.S.: 22%
19%±4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
23.2%±4.5Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.2%±2.7
U.S.: 22%
Upton and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
22.4%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.3%±4
U.S.: 17.2%
20.7%±4.9
U.S.: 17.2%
15.9%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Brewer and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
35%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
44.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
53.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
44.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
7.7%±2.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±2.2
U.S.: 6.4%
2.4%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.9%±1.1
U.S.: 6.4%
Brewer and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$66,613±$9kLowest
17% below U.S.
$95,236±$8k
18% above U.S.
$155,508±$33kHighest
93% above U.S.
$107,934±$14k
34% above U.S.
Upton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$245,300±$21kLowest
26% below U.S.
$363,700±$20k
9% above U.S.
$576,700±$41kHighest
73% above U.S.
$388,900±$22k
17% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,086±$54
23% below U.S.
$1,371±$89Highest
about the U.S. average
$948±$599Lowest
33% below U.S.
$1,232±$332
13% below U.S.
Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,374Lowest
8% above U.S.
$3,683
18% above U.S.
$8,376Highest
169% above U.S.
$3,938
26% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
55.7%±13.3
U.S.: 51.1%
56.4%±24Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.8%±31
U.S.: 51.1%
32.7%±14.7Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Gray and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
12.5%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
3.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
82.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
86.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
84.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1959Lowest
21 yrs older than U.S.
1983
3 yrs newer than U.S.
1981
1 yr newer than U.S.
1985Highest
5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
17 minLowest
36% below U.S.
29 min
8% above U.S.
35 minHighest
34% above U.S.
26 min
about the U.S. average
Work from home
6.9%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
12.3%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
22.8%±5.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
19%±4.1
U.S.: 15.1%
Upton and Windham 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 #32 of 133 in ME #10 of 133 in ME #46 of 282 in MA #95 of 133 in ME
School district Brewer Public Schools RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton RSU 14
High school in town Brewer High School Gray-New Gloucester High School Blackstone Valley Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school
14.0Highest
12.5
11.2Lowest
12.1
On TownTapestry
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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.