Compare towns
Camden vs Freeport vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Camden has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k 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 | Camden | Freeport | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,242Lowest |
8,802Highest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.9% ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.2±6.5Highest 17% above ME |
48.8±4.3 9% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Camden and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±5.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Freeport and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Camden and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
59.6% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,344±$15kLowest 10% above ME |
$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
| Freeport and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $520,600±$70kHighest 76% above ME |
$508,400±$76k 71% above ME |
$363,700±$20kLowest 23% above ME |
| Camden and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,269±$354Lowest 11% above ME |
$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
| Freeport and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,832Highest 92% above ME |
$5,042 66% above ME |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.9%±15.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 11% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.3%±8.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Camden and Freeport 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 | #11 of 133 in ME | #4 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 28/MSAD 28 | RSU 05 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | None in town | Freeport High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Lowest |
12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.