Compare towns
Brookfield vs Gray vs Lincoln
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Lincoln has the most expensive homes ($365k median).
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 | Brookfield | Gray | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
8,429Highest |
1,394Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Highest 21% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
45.7±3.6 17% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$96,667±$18k 20% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15kLowest about the U.S. average |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$365,200±$30kHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Lincoln and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$870±$47Lowest 38% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 46% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,100Highest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.1%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Lincoln 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 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Lincoln Town 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 History | 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.