Compare towns
Gray vs Bath vs South Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Bath has the most renters (35.7% rent).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
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 | Bath | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
8,815Highest |
7,670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
| Bath 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% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| South Berwick and Gray 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% |
25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bath 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% |
42.5% ME: 36.2% |
41.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Gray 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 |
$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$99,572±$13kHighest 33% 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 |
$310,900±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
$428,300±$26kHighest 44% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
$4,956Highest 63% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and South Berwick 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% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Morse High School | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
14.8Highest |
13.0 |
| 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.