Compare towns
Gray vs Epping vs Dunbarton 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 youngest population (median age 43.4).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Dunbarton has the highest household income ($124k).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 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 | Epping | Dunbarton | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
7,430 |
3,097Lowest |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
48±3.7Highest 23% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| Dunbarton and Epping 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% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham and Dunbarton 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%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham and Epping 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% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Epping 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. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$124,348±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Dunbarton and Epping 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. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$484,100±$33kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Dunbarton and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,166±$70Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
| Epping and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$8,233Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping 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% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Epping School District | Dunbarton School District | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Epping High School | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
9.3Lowest |
— | 12.2 |
| 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.