Compare towns
Franklin vs Gray vs Brooks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Franklin has the oldest population (median age 46).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Brooks has the most affordable homes ($197k 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 | Franklin | Gray | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,628 |
8,429Highest |
1,208Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
| Franklin and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $888±$306Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,231 27% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 18% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 12.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Gray 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 03/MSAD 03 |
| 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.