Compare towns

Chapman vs Gray vs Starks

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
Gray has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k 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.

MeasureChapmanGrayStarks
People
Population
388Lowest
8,429Highest
556
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+6.5%Highest
ME: +2.6%
-7.3%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
45.7±11.4
about the ME average
43.4±4.5Lowest
3% below ME
46.7±9.4Highest
4% above ME
Starks and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
27.6%±5.9Highest
ME: 18.1%
19%±4
ME: 18.1%
16.4%±4.4Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Chapman and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
27.6%±3.8Highest
ME: 22.4%
19.3%±4Lowest
ME: 22.4%
20.3%±2.2
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
22.8%
ME: 36.2%
44.8%Highest
ME: 36.2%
21%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.2%±2.6
ME: 5.8%
5.4%±2.2Highest
ME: 5.8%
0.9%±2.3Lowest
ME: 5.8%
Gray and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$93,125±$17k
25% above ME
$95,236±$8kHighest
27% above ME
$63,500±$8kLowest
15% below ME
Gray and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$185,700±$22k
37% below ME
$363,700±$20kHighest
23% above ME
$148,500±$27kLowest
50% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$1,371±$89Highest
20% above ME
$1,063±$301Lowest
7% below ME
Gray and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,850
39% below ME
$3,683Highest
21% above ME
$1,348Lowest
56% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±100Lowest
ME: 48.4%
56.4%±24Highest
ME: 48.4%
45.5%±90.3
ME: 48.4%
Gray and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.4%
ME: 10.7%
3.5%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
19.2%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
94.5%Highest
ME: 74.3%
82.4%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
90%
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1982Lowest
5 yrs newer than ME
1983
6 yrs newer than ME
1988Highest
11 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 minLowest
6% below ME
29 min
16% above ME
33 minHighest
33% above ME
Work from home
4.8%±3.5
ME: 15.9%
12.3%±3.5Highest
ME: 15.9%
3.3%±2.4Lowest
ME: 15.9%
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 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.