Compare towns
Etna vs Gray vs Steuben
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Etna has the most homeowners (94.9%).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Steuben has the most affordable homes ($174k median).
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 | Etna | Gray | Steuben |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,252Lowest |
8,429Highest |
1,388 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.4 6% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
40.1±8.5Lowest 10% below ME |
| Gray and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6.7 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Steuben and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±1.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Gray and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,379±$16kLowest 3% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$76,466±$4k about the ME average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,000±$49k 38% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$173,900±$32kLowest 41% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$678±$319Lowest 40% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,745Lowest 43% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$2,029 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
26.3%±87.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Etna and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 12% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 5.6%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Gray and Steuben 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 | RSU 24 |
| High school 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 |
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.