Compare towns
Fairfield vs Gray vs Sheldon vs Bakersfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Sheldon has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
Bakersfield has the most people working from home (14.2%).
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 | Fairfield | Gray | Sheldon | Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,938 |
8,429Highest |
2,267 |
1,109Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.3±2.7 9% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% above U.S. |
46.4±8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Bakersfield and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.4%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
13.6%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Fairfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bakersfield and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
14.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bakersfield and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $87,019±$22k 8% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$78,533±$25kLowest about the U.S. average |
$83,462±$18k 3% above U.S. |
| Gray and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $320,600±$22k 4% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$272,400±$61k 18% below U.S. |
$271,300±$19kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,056±$441Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,286±$379 9% below U.S. |
$1,200±$327 15% below U.S. |
| Gray and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,816Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$3,578Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$3,823 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±20.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
18.8%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
94%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bakersfield and Sheldon 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 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— | — |
| 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.