Compare towns
Charleston vs Gray vs Lunenburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Charleston has the most people working from home (18.7%).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Lunenburg has the most affordable homes ($164k 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 | Charleston | Gray | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 936Lowest |
8,429Highest |
1,267 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±9.3Highest 50% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
51.2±4.2 32% above U.S. |
| Charleston and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 37.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
14.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $49,286±$17kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$53,125±$9k 34% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,000±$53k 28% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$164,000±$11kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$444Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,025±$172 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,750Highest 20% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$2,702Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±26.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±57.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.7%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.9%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Charleston 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 | Charleston School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| 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.