Compare towns
Gray vs Belgrade vs New Gloucester vs Windham
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 most renters (17.6% rent).
Belgrade has the shortest commute (23 min average).
New Gloucester has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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.
| Measure | Gray | Belgrade | New Gloucester | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
3,351Lowest |
5,766 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+1.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Belgrade and Gray 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% |
22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| New Gloucester and Belgrade 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% |
23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade 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% ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade 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 |
$88,338±$13kLowest 18% above ME |
$108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
| New Gloucester and Windham 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 |
$312,200±$44kLowest 5% above ME |
$357,100±$29k 20% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| 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 20% above ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
$1,150±$249 about the ME average |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
| Gray and Windham 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 |
$2,859Lowest 6% below ME |
$3,417 13% above ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Windham 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% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade and Windham 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 | #71 of 133 in ME | #65 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 18 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | — | 12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.