Compare towns
Gray vs Cumberland vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.5%).
Topsham has the most renters (21.1% rent).
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 | Cumberland | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
8,647 |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+17.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41.9±4Lowest 6% below ME |
44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
| 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 ME: 18.1% |
25.6%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Cumberland and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
72.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| 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 27% above ME |
$173,894±$20kHighest 133% above ME |
$91,028±$10kLowest 22% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$616,800±$42kHighest 108% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$2,143±$759Highest 88% above ME |
$1,355±$642Lowest 19% 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 | $3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$7,116Highest 134% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
47.1%±31.3 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Cumberland 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% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% ME: 74.3% |
90.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Cumberland and Topsham 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 | #25 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 51/MSAD 51 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Greely High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
9.5Lowest |
12.2 |
| 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.