Compare towns
Gray vs Brewer vs Windham vs Cumberland
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 oldest population (median age 43.4).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Cumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.5%).
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 | Windham | Cumberland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
9,652 |
19,188Highest |
8,647 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+17.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
41.9±4 6% below ME |
| Gray and Cumberland 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% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
25.6%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Cumberland and Brewer 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%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer and Cumberland 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% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
72.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.6Lowest 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 |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$173,894±$20kHighest 133% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$616,800±$42kHighest 108% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$2,143±$759Highest 88% above ME |
| Cumberland 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 |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$7,116Highest 134% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.1%±31.3 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% |
3.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
90.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Cumberland 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #25 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 14 | RSU 51/MSAD 51 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Brewer High School | Windham High School | Greely High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
14.0Highest |
12.1 |
9.5Lowest |
| 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.