Compare towns
Dorset vs Gray vs Thetford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
Gray has the most renters (17.6% rent).
Thetford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
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 | Dorset | Gray | Thetford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,092Lowest |
8,429Highest |
2,813 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±7.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
43.6±6.2 12% above U.S. |
| Dorset and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±5.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dorset and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.8%±6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dorset and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 72.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±4.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Thetford and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$40kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$88,045±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Dorset and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $569,200±$57kHighest 71% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$329,500±$96kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,420±$296Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,141±$96Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Dorset and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,489Highest 140% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,948 123% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±30.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dorset and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #40 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Thetford School District |
| 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.