Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Gray vs Freedom
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the most renters (20.3% rent).
Gray has the most kids (19% under 18).
Freedom has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
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.
| Measure | Bridgewater | Gray | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,169Lowest |
8,429Highest |
1,494 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.3±6.3 50% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
60.6±3.2Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Freedom and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.9%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.1%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
40.3%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,361±$9k about the U.S. average |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$66,136±$14kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Gray and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $398,600±$65kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$389,000±$43k 17% above U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$201Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
— |
| Gray and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,823Lowest 9% below U.S. |
$3,683Highest 18% above U.S. |
$3,478 12% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.1%±13.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
79.6%±75Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Freedom and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
91%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Freedom 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Newfound Area School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Freedom School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.