Compare towns

Gray vs Arundel vs Sidney

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gray has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
Arundel has the most expensive homes ($421k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).

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.

MeasureGrayArundelSidney
People
Population
8,429Highest
4,418Lowest
4,790
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.5%
ME: +2.6%
+6%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+10.4%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
43.4±4.5Highest
3% below ME
40.9±6.4Lowest
9% below ME
43±5.5
4% below ME
Gray and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19%±4Lowest
ME: 18.1%
20.4%±5.6
ME: 18.1%
23.1%±5.6Highest
ME: 18.1%
Sidney and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.3%±4Highest
ME: 22.4%
15.9%±3.4Lowest
ME: 22.4%
18.4%±3.6
ME: 22.4%
Gray and Sidney 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%
29.4%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
33.5%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.4%±2.2Highest
ME: 5.8%
3.5%±2.4
ME: 5.8%
1.5%±1.2Lowest
ME: 5.8%
Gray and Arundel 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
$101,597±$17kHighest
36% above ME
$83,488±$10kLowest
12% above ME
Arundel 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
$421,300±$62kHighest
42% above ME
$336,200±$34kLowest
13% above ME
Arundel and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,371±$89
20% above ME
$1,607±$495Highest
41% above ME
$1,340±$304Lowest
18% above ME
Arundel and Gray 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
$3,763Highest
24% above ME
$2,474Lowest
19% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
56.4%±24Highest
ME: 48.4%
34.2%±22.7
ME: 48.4%
16.4%±17.5Lowest
ME: 48.4%
Gray and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
3.5%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
5.9%
ME: 10.7%
6.4%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.4%
ME: 74.3%
82.2%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
89.4%Highest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1983Lowest
6 yrs newer than ME
1992
15 yrs newer than ME
1996Highest
19 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 minHighest
16% above ME
23 minLowest
7% below ME
25 min
about the ME average
Work from home
12.3%±3.5
ME: 15.9%
7%±3.2Lowest
ME: 15.9%
14.3%±5.9Highest
ME: 15.9%
Sidney 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 #7 of 133 in ME #15 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences RSU 21 RSU 18
High school 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 Our Story 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.