Compare towns
Gray vs Bristol vs New Gloucester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Bristol has the most people working from home (25%).
New Gloucester has the most kids (24.2% 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 | Bristol | New Gloucester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
2,917Lowest |
5,766 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.9% ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| New Gloucester and Gray 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% |
42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% ME: 36.2% |
52.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and New Gloucester 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 27% above ME |
$100,750±$19k 35% above ME |
$108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
| New Gloucester and Bristol 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 |
$406,400±$54kHighest 37% above ME |
$357,100±$29kLowest 20% above ME |
| Bristol and Gray 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 |
$1,051±$106Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,150±$249 about the ME average |
| Gray and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,417 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol 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 | #16 of 133 in ME | #65 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Bristol Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.