Compare towns
Gray vs Dracut vs Raymond vs Windham
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 affordable homes ($364k median).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Raymond has the most people working from home (32.3%).
Windham has the shortest commute (26 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 | Dracut | Raymond | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
32,574Highest |
4,610Lowest |
19,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
47.3±4.1Highest 22% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
| Raymond 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% |
21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Dracut and Windham 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% |
18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Raymond 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Dracut 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. |
$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$88,194±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$395,800±$42k 19% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$965±$397Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$5,375Highest 72% above U.S. |
$3,139Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±62.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Gray 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% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.3%±11.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Raymond and Windham 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 | #201 of 282 in MA | #112 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Dracut | RSU 14 | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Dracut Senior High | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
12.9Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| 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.