What stands out worked out from the figures below

Columbia has the most affordable homes ($196k median).

Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Columbia	Gray
People
Population	683Lowest	8,429Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	51.8±10.1Highest 33% above U.S.	43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S.
	Columbia and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.4%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	19%±4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Gray and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	29.9%±8.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Columbia and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	14.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Columbia and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$57,917±$13kLowest 28% below U.S.	$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$196,400±$29kLowest 41% below U.S.	$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$792±$333Lowest 44% below U.S.	$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,009Lowest 36% below U.S.	$3,683Highest 18% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	9.1%±95.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Gray and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983 3 yrs newer than U.S.	1983 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 23% below U.S.	29 minHighest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	11.2%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	12.3%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Gray and Columbia 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

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.