Compare towns

Gray vs East Machias

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
East Machias has the most affordable homes ($211k median).

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.

MeasureGrayEast Machias
People
Population
8,429Highest
1,223Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.5%Highest
ME: +2.6%
-3.1%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
43.4±4.5Highest
3% below ME
42.8±2.9Lowest
4% below ME
Gray and East Machias 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%
23.3%±4.4Highest
ME: 18.1%
East Machias and Gray 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%
19.4%±3.6Highest
ME: 22.4%
East Machias 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%Highest
ME: 36.2%
33.9%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.4%±2.2Highest
ME: 5.8%
3.9%±1.8Lowest
ME: 5.8%
Gray and East Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$95,236±$8kHighest
27% above ME
$57,589±$10kLowest
23% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$363,700±$20kHighest
23% above ME
$210,800±$23kLowest
29% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,371±$89Highest
20% above ME
$907±$566Lowest
20% below ME
Gray and East Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,683Highest
21% above ME
$1,836Lowest
40% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
56.4%±24
ME: 48.4%
56.4%±40.3
ME: 48.4%
Below poverty line
3.5%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
15.9%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.4%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
83.7%Highest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1983Highest
6 yrs newer than ME
1979Lowest
2 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 minHighest
16% above ME
18 minLowest
28% below ME
Work from home
12.3%±3.5Highest
ME: 15.9%
4.1%±3.1Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #10 of 133 in ME —
School district RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences East Machias Public Schools
High school in town Gray-New Gloucester High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.5
—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.