Compare towns
Castleton vs Gray vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Gray has the highest household income ($95k).
Topsham has the most people working from home (17.2%).
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 | Castleton | Gray | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Lowest |
8,429 |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
44.7±4Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Topsham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10k 13% above U.S. |
| Gray and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20k 8% above U.S. |
| Gray and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
| Gray and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$4,259Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Topsham 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | #10 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
12.2Lowest |
| 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.