Compare towns
Gray vs Epping vs Topsham vs Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Berwick has the most kids (22.7% under 18).
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 | Topsham | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
7,430Lowest |
9,706Highest |
8,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
40.7±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Epping 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% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Berwick and Topsham 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% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest 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% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest 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±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$94,771±$24k 17% above U.S. |
| Epping and Gray 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±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$369,100±$19k 11% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,452±$430 about the U.S. average |
| Epping and Berwick 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. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% 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% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±46 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.2%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Berwick 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 | #66 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Epping School District | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Epping High School | Mt Ararat High School | None in town |
| 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.