Compare towns
Gray vs Barre 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
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Barre has the highest household income ($108k).
Topsham has the most people working from home (17.2%).
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 | Barre | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
5,572Lowest |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
43.8±8.5 13% above U.S. |
44.7±4Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Topsham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham 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% |
19%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$107,727±$13kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Barre 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. |
$394,300±$55kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Barre 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 |
$1,030±$713Lowest 27% 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 | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,163Highest 66% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Topsham 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 | #134 of 282 in MA | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Quabbin | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Quabbin Regional High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
12.9Highest |
12.2Lowest |
| 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.