Compare towns
Gray vs Bow vs New Gloucester
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 oldest population (median age 43.4).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
New Gloucester has the youngest population (median age 40.1).
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 | Bow | New Gloucester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
8,335 |
5,766Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
40.1±5.5Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Gray and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray and Bow 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% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow 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±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$108,797±$12k 35% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$357,100±$29kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,150±$249Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Bow and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$3,417Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
24.7%±12Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Bow 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and New Gloucester 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #65 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Bow School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
12.8Highest |
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| 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.