Compare towns
Carroll vs Gray vs Jefferson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Carroll has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Gray has the most kids (19% under 18).
Jefferson has the most people working from home (17.5%).
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 | Carroll | Gray | Jefferson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 659Lowest |
8,429Highest |
1,013 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 62.4±4.8Highest 60% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
58±3.5 49% above U.S. |
| Carroll and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 7%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.5%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±9.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Carroll and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,821±$26kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$67,188±$13k 17% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $261,500±$42kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$296,700±$92k 11% below U.S. |
| Gray and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,078±$241 24% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$867±$156Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Gray and Carroll are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,356Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$4,196Highest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28%±47.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±71.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Carroll are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 4.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jefferson 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 | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — |
| High school in town | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 14 photos → |
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.