Compare towns
Gray vs Appleton vs South Berwick vs Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
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 | Appleton | South Berwick | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
1,360Lowest |
7,670 |
8,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
40.7±2.9 9% below ME |
| Appleton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton 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 ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.8% ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$99,572±$13kHighest 33% above ME |
$94,771±$24k 27% above ME |
| South Berwick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$428,300±$26kHighest 44% above ME |
$369,100±$19k 24% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
$1,452±$430 27% above ME |
| South Berwick and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 21% above ME |
$3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
$4,956Highest 63% above ME |
$4,436 46% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick and South Berwick 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 | — | #58 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Marshwood High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | 13.0Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.