Compare towns
Gray vs Berwick vs Topsham vs Winthrop
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 highest household income ($95k).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Winthrop has the most affordable homes ($295k median).
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 | Berwick | Topsham | Winthrop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
8,175 |
9,706Highest |
6,191Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
43.6±5.3 about the ME average |
| Topsham and Winthrop 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% |
22.7%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Winthrop and Berwick 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% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.4%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham and Winthrop 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% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
40% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| 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±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$94,771±$24k 27% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$86,470±$4kLowest 16% above ME |
| Gray and Berwick 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 |
$369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
$294,800±$41kLowest about the ME average |
| Berwick 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 |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
| Berwick 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 |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
$3,506Lowest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.8%±22.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Winthrop 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% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 16% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Winthrop and 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 | #101 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME | #12 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Winthrop Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Mt Ararat High School | Winthrop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 12.2 |
11.7Lowest |
| 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.