Compare towns
Buxton vs Gray vs South Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buxton has the oldest population (median age 45.5).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
South Berwick has the most people working from home (17.6%).
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 | Buxton | Gray | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,512Highest |
8,429 |
7,670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
| Buxton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$95,236±$8kLowest 27% above ME |
$99,572±$13k 33% above ME |
| Buxton and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,800±$21kLowest 20% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$428,300±$26kHighest 44% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266 42% above ME |
$1,371±$89Lowest 20% above ME |
$1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
| South Berwick and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Lowest 13% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,956Highest 63% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| South Berwick 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 | #104 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Lowest |
13.0Highest |
| 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.