Compare towns
Gray vs Beverly vs Windham vs South Berwick
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 affordable homes ($364k median).
Beverly has the most expensive homes ($650k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Beverly | Windham | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
42,665Highest |
19,188 |
7,670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
39±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
39±2.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Gray and Windham 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% |
18.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Windham 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% |
19.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Beverly 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% |
53.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$106,044±$7k 31% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
| Windham and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$650,300±$13kHighest 95% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,771±$106Highest 25% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,726±$83 22% above U.S. |
| Beverly and South Berwick 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. |
$6,836Highest 119% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$4,956 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.5%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Beverly 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% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
60.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Beverly 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 | #144 of 282 in MA | #95 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Beverly | RSU 14 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Beverly High | Windham High School | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
12.2 |
12.1Lowest |
13.0Highest |
| 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.