Compare towns
Gray vs Danvers 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%).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Danvers | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
28,098Highest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Topsham 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% |
17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham and Danvers 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% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Lowest 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. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Danvers 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Danvers 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 | #91 of 282 in MA | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
12.8Highest |
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.