Compare towns
Cumberland vs Gray vs Williston vs Freeport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cumberland has the highest household income ($174k).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Williston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Williston | Freeport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,647 |
8,429Lowest |
10,144Highest |
8,802 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±4Lowest 8% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
48.8±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Freeport and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Cumberland and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Freeport and Williston 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Gray 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 115% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$107,326±$19k 33% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,800±$42kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$508,400±$76k 53% above U.S. |
| 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 52% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,439±$123 about the U.S. average |
| Cumberland and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,116Highest 128% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$5,042 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.1%±31.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.3%±7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cumberland and Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #4 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 51/MSAD 51 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | 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 History | None yet | 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.