Compare towns
Gray vs Castleton vs Northfield vs South Berwick
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Northfield has the most renters (26.5% rent).
South Berwick has the most people working from home (17.6%).
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 | Castleton | Northfield | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
4,453Lowest |
5,920 |
7,670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
| Gray and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Gray 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% |
20.7%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Castleton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$99,572±$13kHighest 23% above U.S. |
| South Berwick and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$274,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
$428,300±$26kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,018±$207Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,726±$83Highest 22% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,878 56% above U.S. |
$4,956Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Northfield 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% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| South Berwick and Gray 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | #42 of 70 in VT | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Northfield Middle/High School | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | 10.0Lowest |
13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.