Compare towns
Cumberland vs Gray vs New Gloucester vs Freeport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.5%).
Gray has the oldest housing (typical home built 1983).
New Gloucester has the youngest population (median age 40.1).
Freeport has the oldest population (median age 48.8).
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 | Cumberland | Gray | New Gloucester | Freeport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,647 |
8,429 |
5,766Lowest |
8,802Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±4 6% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
48.8±4.3Highest 9% above ME |
| Freeport and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.6%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Cumberland and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Freeport and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 72.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
59.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $173,894±$20kHighest 133% above ME |
$95,236±$8kLowest 27% above ME |
$108,797±$12k 46% above ME |
$107,326±$19k 44% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,800±$42kHighest 108% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$357,100±$29kLowest 20% above ME |
$508,400±$76k 71% above ME |
| Cumberland and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,143±$759Highest 88% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,150±$249Lowest about the ME average |
$1,439±$123 26% above ME |
| Cumberland and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,116Highest 134% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$3,417Lowest 13% above ME |
$5,042 66% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.1%±31.3 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
8.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.9% ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 25.3%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Cumberland and Freeport 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 | #25 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #65 of 133 in ME | #4 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 51/MSAD 51 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Greely High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Freeport High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
12.5Highest |
— | 12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.