Compare towns
Gray vs Alton vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Alton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Gray | Alton | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
5,994Lowest |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
53.7±3.2Highest 38% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Alton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$113,715±$19kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
| Alton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$430,400±$37kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Alton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
— | $1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,183Highest 34% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.7%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Alton 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 | #72 of 120 in NH | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Prospect Mountain JMA School District · Alton School District | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Prospect Mountain High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
11.1Lowest |
12.1 |
| 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.