Compare towns
Gray vs Barnet vs Windham vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnet has the most people working from home (55%).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Topsham has the most renters (21.1% rent).
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 | Barnet | Windham | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
61Lowest |
19,188Highest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
62.2±45.8Highest 60% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| Barnet and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
31.1%±29.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Barnet and Topsham 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% |
36.1%±44.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barnet and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±23.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Topsham 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 18% above U.S. |
$57,917±$16kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10k 13% above U.S. |
| Windham 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 9% above U.S. |
$204,200±$38kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20k 8% above U.S. |
| Windham and Gray 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. |
$1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
| Gray and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$2,950Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$4,259Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
— | 32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Topsham 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% |
47.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
100%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
— | 26 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
55%±29Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #95 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | RSU 14 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | Windham High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
12.2 |
| 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.