Compare towns
Danforth vs Gray vs Island Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($90k median).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Island Falls has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Danforth | Gray | Island Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666Lowest |
8,429Highest |
768 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.1±4.4Highest 19% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
50.7±10.6 13% above ME |
| Danforth and Island Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±7.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Island Falls and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±3.7 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.3%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Island Falls and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
12.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Island Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $48,125±$8kLowest 36% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$56,328±$8k 25% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $89,900±$36kLowest 70% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$108,300±$25k 63% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$29Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$636±$124 44% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,720 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.1%±57.5 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
17.9%±51.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.9% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1960Lowest 17 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 15% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Gray and Island Falls 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 | 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.