Compare towns
Gray vs Canton 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
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Canton has the most expensive homes ($711k median).
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 | Canton | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
24,748Highest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
42.6±2.3Lowest 10% 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% |
22.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Canton 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% |
18.8%±2Lowest 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% |
67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Topsham 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. |
$143,381±$9kHighest 78% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,560Highest 110% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | #81 of 282 in MA | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Canton High | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
13.1Highest |
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.