Compare towns
Gray vs Bow vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
8,335Lowest |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.7±4Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Topsham and Gray 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% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Topsham 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% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50% 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% |
4.9%±1.8Lowest 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±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% 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 | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Topsham 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% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Topsham 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 | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Bow School District | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Bow High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
12.8Highest |
12.2Lowest |
| 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.