Compare towns
Gray vs Brewer vs West Bath vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
West Bath has the oldest population (median age 54.2).
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 | Brewer | West Bath | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
9,652 |
1,863Lowest |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Windham 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% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath and Brewer 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% |
50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer 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 |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$103,333±$27k 38% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Windham and West Bath 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 |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
| West Bath and Windham 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 |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,112±$327 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 |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$3,516 16% above ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Brewer 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% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.3% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and West Bath 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | — | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Brewer Public Schools | West Bath Public Schools | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Brewer High School | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
14.0Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.